On the Line of Love and Hate
by mustang-grl
Summary: A young woman is entrusted with a medallion of strange and unknown powers. A certain pirate Captain is suffering from boredom. What happens when the arrogence and stubborness of both collides? They are volleyed between love and hate over, and over, and ov
1. Chapter One

*******Hello all! This is my first POTC fic so be gentle…like a kitten…or a marshmallow. Which ever you prefer. Yes, this is a Jack-OC fiction, just like most of 'em out there. But hey, what's one more right? If ya don't mind, could you review my story after readin' it? It would be most appreciated. So, um…yeah. Read and REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!!!!  
  
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Chapter One  
  
*It seemed easy enough. Ride down from the central colonies, avoid thieves of all shape and size, stay along the coast, and find a way to hop a ship over to Port Royal with a horse…a big horse. Easy…yeah, right. As it turns out I didn't hop a ship, I didn't make it over to Port Royal, and I didn't stay along the coast, BUT I did avoid all thieves. Besides one. Then I seemed to be a magnet for all kinds of wrong doers from all corners of the world. And sitting here on this godforsaken piece of dirt, I can't stop thinking about him. No, no, no, its not like that! I mean I can't stop thinking about how I'm gonna rid the planet of him when I find him, or he finds me…which ever comes first. Before 'he' came along everything was fine and dandy. I made it all the way down to the Carolina colonies without a fuss, then he comes along. With his drunken walk, scallywag attitude, and imbecilic manor I knew he would be easy to loose and forget. Once again…yeah, right.  
  
From the first moment I saw the man I had an instant disliking toward him. Don't get me wrong, I've been around his type before but, he was WAY to sure of himself for my taste. The surety he had that everyone had heard about him, and the repentant correcting about his title just drove me up the walls. Those hand gestures, that hat, the hair, and that…that, smirk! He had to be the most annoying, arrogant person I've every had the pleasure…uh, displeasure, of coming in contact with. Its because of him that almost every pirate on the coast and in the Caribbean is on my tail. He just couldn't keep his golden toothed mouth shut. And I absolutely, positively regret the moment I shook hands with that despicable man, and the only reason I'm thinking about him so much is because of the need to tear him limb from limb and throw him in the sea he loves so damn much!…At least that's what I keep telling myself…  
  
I bet your pretty confused about this whole situation about now aren't ya? About who this man was, what he opened his trap about, where I am, and exactly who I am. Right? Well I suppose I could tell ya the story…if they don't get here first that is. I can almost smell their disgusting odor of sweat, salt, gunpowder, and strong rum. I'm not sure why these pirates smell different to me then 'he' does. Maybe I just got used to his smell…I had noticed that the smell of rum that always surrounded him, had slowly but surely, added the sweet spice smell to 'im. The salt that was gathered on his body from the years at sea had a bit of freshness to it now, that reminded me of a beach…Whoa there, gettin' a little off track! So do you really wanna know the story behind all of this blabbering? Hmm, should I be worried that I'm having a conversation with myself? Maybe someone really is listening? Ah well, I can worry about that later right? I need to get this out in the open.  
  
Well how do I start? Once upon a time…no that won't work. How about this?  
  
Once upon a day, in a village not so far away, down a dusty road and to the left a little…*  
  
With secure homes and the plentiful number of single men, the small colonies of the Virginia settlements were perfectly suitable for a proper young woman growing up. They were of course surrounded by the larger more populated towns and villages, but many thought the smaller towns better for raising a sophisticated young lady. As many thought that, the idea itself didn't always turn out correct.  
  
"Stupid…carriages…" a rough, but young, female voice hacked and coughed from a cloud of dust that rose behind the passing wealthy family. The thin tan sand like dirt clung to her old clothing as she continued her way down the street with the usual basket of kitchen needs and clothing material. Still waving a hand in front of her face in an attempt to clear the air around her, the young woman ran a hand through her hair that was now caked with the loose dirt, giving it an strange metallic feel. Her shoed feet that were currently shuffling down the path were almost entirely covered by the long brown cloak type piece she wore to protect her middle class dress from the elements, though it was already dirty. Her hair, which was stained a red brown tone, was chopped short an inch or two above her shoulders, unlike most of the girls her age who had long silken hair. The face, which was spotted with dust at the moment, showed a girl of seventeen or so with the young appearance of a fifteen year old, that she sometimes cursed. One clouded blue eye stared in front of her as she walked, and the other was hidden behind long bangs that brushed across her cheek bones.  
  
"Think they own the whole road!" she yelled when the carriage was out of hearing range.  
  
"They do own the road lass." a chuckling response came from behind her. "Them be the Smithsons, they own everythin' 'round here."  
  
"Don't remind me…By the way Endinea, aren't those other rich wigs 'spose ta be in town this week?" the younger voice asked and turned to the elder woman who was approaching her from behind on a horse that was nearly as old as she was.  
  
"Feh, who knows. All they be here ta talk 'bout is how ta make them rich richer and us poor poorer." the woman replies with a grunt. "That's how thing's are and there ain't no changin' it Ryder."  
  
Ryder, as the younger woman was named, had heard this many times before. Endinea seemed to complain about the richies on a daily basis, and the conversation always ended on the same note.  
  
"Ryder! Endinea! Get yer arses in 'er!" an gruff mans voice called from inside the small house that that women were approaching. Yep, same note, right on time.  
  
"Yeah, yeah! Well your arse can wait a tick!" the oldest of the two yelled back while sliding off the bay horse and hitting the ground with a small thump. " 'ere Ryder, take this ol' flea bag ta the stable, I'll deal wit' ol' man river in there."  
  
The young woman grabbed onto the reigns of the bridal as Endinea tossed them to her, and couldn't help but grin at the sound of the old pair fighting in the house. Once again, it was another thing she was used to and found much amusement in it most of the time. Seeing it that the woman usually won anyway.  
  
A slight gust of wind flowed through the air and rustled the dirt on the ground, causing it to rise up in a whirlwind to the side of Ryder as she made her way to the rotted old barn. Off in the distance, the sound of the town could be heard coming over the line of trees. The life in an actual town tempted Ryder, without having to walk so far just to go to the market, or just to be around the more wealthy people. Thoughts like these always made her right eye twitch from behind its leather hiding place.   
  
  
  
Yes, that leather hiding place. Another reason she didn't live in town was because of this cursed thing. Raising a hand, she brushed her finger tips across the smooth surface of her eye patch with a small wince. Now, it didn't hurt, physically that is. The causes that brought her eye to be in its current handicap was only known to her. Sometimes she would release her eye from its dark prison and look upon the world in all its black and white splendor. At least it was black and white to that eye. It was mostly flooded over with blood spots and numerous scars that stretched over to the flesh of her cheek. Luckily her hair mostly covered the practically deformed skin that seemed as if it had been used as a carving block for a cutlass. In a way she was glad she was stuck in the middle of nowhere with those two weathered old people. If she was in town, Ryder could only imagine how much of an outcast she would become. Scarface…Bloodeye…some of the nicknames she aloud Endinea and the old man to call her at times. Though she knew in town she would be called that, with her permission or not.  
  
Tugging the bridal that was falling apart at the stitches, Ryder pushed he old mare into the stall and latched the door behind her. The smell of hay, grain, and horse hair drifted under the girls nose as her feet crunched across the top layer of soil that covered the ground. The sound of rustling leaves, arguing people and an agitated stallion rushed to her ears. Ah yes, the sound of a bored and grumpy two ton horse. Knowing that it definitely wasn't that old hag of a horse she just put away, Ryder was drawn toward the back lot of the property where the strong fences held in an even stronger creature. The thought to be 'untamable' Nero. A Spanish stallion that was presumably stolen from a trade ship while at dock in a town not far off. Of course Ryder had heard of the missing horse when he showed up in the pasture, but she couldn't bring herself to turn in the large beast. No one questioned how it happened, but the animal ended up staying within the confines of the fence without a fuss. And as far as the girl was concerned, Nero was far from untamable. So what if he had issues with almost every human he came in contact with? It didn't mean he was untamable now did it? It probably did to most, but to Ryder it just showed a challenge.   
  
Stepping up to the fence that kept Nero from running off and terrorizing people, the young woman leaned her forearms on the post and watched as the horse demolished a defenseless bucket that found its way into his pasture. With hooves nearly the size of skillets, Nero was a very big force to be reckoned with. And the few proper people that she knew that Ryder was a complete heathen to even come within five feet of the stallion. Of course that made her want to get even closer to the horse. With his powerful legs and swift movements, Nero was any racers dream. And it was no different for Ryder. It didn't come to anyone's surprise when the girl began taking up riding horses, as he name suggested. But it did surprise them when she started with Nero in her first race. They were never officially judged races, just with the boys from down the road a way, but all of them took it just as seriously. They may not have high class parties, or beautiful ships to sail on, but they did have their racing and that was something that most people couldn't say. Especially the wealthy women.  
  
"Ryder, get over 'ere lass!" Endinea called from the stoop of the house.  
  
"Alright, alright." she mumbled in response and turned away from the still uneasy horse. Pulling up her dresses a bit, she jogged back toward her home, but had to stop for a moment or two to pull her shoe back on.  
  
"Girl, I need ya ta run ta town for me. Take this 'ere money and give it ta Mrs. Somperton in the inn." the old woman said and tossed the listener a small bag of coins. Ryder opened her mouth and gapped at the woman.  
  
  
  
"I don't think so! I just got back from town, if ya want ta pay 'er, give it ta 'er yerself!" she objected and threw the bag back.  
  
"If ye want food, I gotta cook it don't I? I can't cook it if I'm in town now can I? If it's the walk yer worried about, just take Nero. He'll get ye there in good time." the reply came and the bag was thrown back.  
  
"I can't take Nero! There's nowhere ta tie 'im up!"  
  
"Then just tell 'em ta stay put, he listens to ya good." Endinea said with a grin and went back inside leaving Ryder to glare at a closed door. Letting out a loud sigh and rolling her eyes, she stomped back to the wide pasture with the bag of coins tied to a small rope around her waist, and a bridal, and riding cloth in her hand.  
  
"Nero! Get over 'ere boy!" she called to the now content stallion. Pausing for a moment, she realized how rude everyone was around here. 'Get over 'ere, you', seemed to be a common saying. Yet another reason they probably wouldn't fit in around the richies. But, hey, if you said it they came, including Nero. The vibrations of his hoofs on the ground became more powerful as he came nearer to the fence gate. Pulling herself over the wooden logs of the gate, she dropped on the other side and tugged the leather bridal over the large horses head, and drooped the cloth over his broad back. Ryder unlatched the gate and opened it a bit before climbing up on the fence and swinging a leg over the midnight colored horse. Before kicking the gate the rest of the way open, the young woman situated herself on the horse and gave a small kick on his side. Though Ryder trusted Nero to an extent, she still held tightly onto the reigns in case he decided to go on a rampage.  
  
  
  
*Well, that's how it all started out. Just a simple trip to the local inn to pay for all the drinks that old man had had down there. I don't think you'd be to interested in the ride down to town, nothing much happened of interest. Now, I had been to that Inn lots of times, but I had no idea what this one trip would get me into. I knew that that old hag was nothing but trouble. Sitting there in the corner, all pathetic like, with her moth eaten clothing, and that stupid necklace. That lady and that necklace got me into this position…well aside from 'him'. Anyway, here I was in the Inn just minding my own business when I catch that woman giving me a sour look. Usually I would just shrug it off, but there was something about her that gave me the creeps something terrible.*  
  
  
  
" 'ere ya go Mrs. Somperton. It should be enough." Ryder said as she handed the middle aged woman behind the counter the bag of money. The red haired woman smiled and took the money while stepping aside to count it. The seventeen year old leaned to one side to look out the widow to make sure the weak little bench nearby was holding Nero in place. Letting out a sigh, she plopped down on the stool behind her and grumbled when a drunk from across the room gave a wink and a leering look her way. As many times as she had been here, she could never get used to the irritation she got whenever she got one of 'those' looks.   
  
The crowd in the tavern was light as it usually was, with the assortment of drunks, whores, and travelers. Smells of salt were brought in from the sailors, along with the cheap smell of the whores they had been with. Rum, and any other kind of alcohol was also a main ingredient of the scent in the tavern. Her good eye roamed over the faces around her and came to rest a peculiar person. An old woman, that look as if she out dated Endinea by a few decades or so. Her hair was matted, gray in color, and as stringy as the old mare's back at the barn. The clothing that was draped around her was made of fine material, a kind that Ryder couldn't identify right away, and had holes here and there, apparently from years of wearing or years of being kept away in a dank place. Frail hands were wrapped around an object in an extremely protective manor, and her eyes…her eyes were focused right at the girl.  
  
"Thank ye Ryder. And be sure ta tell that ol' man that there be plenty of rum down 'ere for 'im." Mrs. Somperton interrupted her thoughts and handed the empty bag back to her. With a brief nod and a smile, Ryder turned toward the door, but not before looking back toward the spot where she last saw that mysterious old hag. To the young woman's surprise, the strange elderly woman was nowhere to be seen. She put her hand on the grubby knob of the door and began to turn it, but not before she was interrupted by a strange sound. A song was it? It was muffled, but the voice was clearly dry and cracked. Looking around the establishment, she noticed that no one else had paused even for a brief second to listen. Did no one else hear it? Her eye moved around the room in an attempt to locate the source of the soft music. Moving back toward the bar, she listened as hard as he ears would allow. Lets see, the loud burp came from over there. The stiff laughter of a whore is over there. The song is…over there.  
  
Ryder finally centered in on the heavy red curtain that covered a small door way to the right of the loud bar. Slowly, the girl stepped over to the curtain and gently pulled it back to reveal the small dining area which was set off from the rest of the tavern. In the center of the poorly lit room, a dark wooden table sat and was surrounded by cheaper looking chairs. Entering the room, the singing grew louder and Ryder finally saw were it was echoing from.  
  
That creepy old woman. The haunting tune flowed through her lips and into Ryder's ears. Within the elder's hands was the object to which she was clinging to out in the bar area. A necklace, or amulet of some kind. The girl wouldn't have been staring at the old woman if her eyes were open, but at the moment they seemed to be locked shut in concentration. The thought of asking what the woman was doing crossed the girls mind once or twice, but it seemed that whatever she was doing seemed very important. So, as quietly as she came in, Ryder started to pull the curtain aside and escape back into the bar.  
  
"Do not be afraid child."  
  
The child that the woman was speaking of must have jumped three feet in the air at the sudden words. Ryder turned her still startled face toward the woman, who still had her eyes closed, but her face was pointed toward her.  
  
"Afraid? What would give ya the idea that I was afraid?" she asked with a shaky smile at herself. Now that she thought about it, she did feel uncomfortable around this odd woman.  
  
"Sit child." she stated plainly. Ryder could have easily just walked out of the room, but something told her to stay there. So she calmly walked over to the chair at the opposite end of the table and gingerly sat, with her hands place on the cool surface of the wooden top.  
  
"You…own that horse. Correct, Ryder?" the woman questioned in an accent strange to Ryder.  
  
"Nero…yeah, but…wait, how did ya know my…"  
  
  
  
"That be not of any importance. Come closer child." Ryder was interrupted by the continuation of the woman's speaking. Swallowing a nervous lump that formed in her throat, she did as she was asked and moved over a few seats. After all, this woman had to be older then 90, what harm could she do?  
  
"Look lady, I really got ta be gettin' home so if ya got somethin' ta say, say it quick."  
  
  
  
"You are right child, time is short. But you must also take your time." the hag let out a dry chuckle and laid the necklace she was toying with on the table in front of Ryder.  
  
Ryder had expected some fine jewel to be placed in the center of the large charm, but nothing could prepare her for what she saw resting on the piece of jewelry. It had to be the most…hideous stone she had ever seen in her life. Being deep brown in color with orange blotches, it looked like a rock that one would find on the side of the road…and not pick up. The only thing that she found attractive about the whole piece was the beautifully formed silver that framed the stone. Sharp points at three sides protruded from the center, and looked as if they could slice open the palm of its owner. But in the end, even the superb ness of the metal work could not bring the unwanted attention away from the less than perfect stone.  
  
  
  
"Listen to me girl. I need ye to do me a favor of great importance. I am an old lady now and my days are numbered, so the possibility of me achieving this last goal of mine is few. You are young and your horse strong; I need you to bring this amulet to its rightful place in the Caribbean. Port Royal is where you must go." she explained and opened her eyes to reveal ice blue orbs. While listening, Ryder almost laughed.  
  
"Let me get this straight old woman. Ya want me ta ride, not sail, down ta Port Royal, just so I can give this here trinket ta someone?"  
  
"No you must not give it to anyone, for that would bring pain upon us all. You must put it in its place." the woman warned.  
  
"Sooo, you want me ta just drop it off wherever ya tell me, right?"  
  
"No, not where I tell you child."  
  
"Oh, come on lady!" Ryder raised her voice at the woman's confusing directions. "I don't 'ave time for this, get someone else ta be yer errand girl woman!" with that, she pulled herself out of the chair and walked with a frustrated gate toward the curtain.  
  
"Your father was a lawyer in England before he came here and met your mother…who was the daughter of a pirate and a whore. He was striped of everything he owned by the rest of his family before you were born, and they moved to the new settlements. They both died when you were ten."  
  
Ryder stopped dead in her tracks. The first emotion that swept over her was anger at this woman talking about her family. The second feeling was grief over her parents and her lineage.   
  
"I know all that there is to know of you. Of your family, that horse, and your scar. Please child, listen to what I have to say. I am not just a clueless old bag as many would believe. I can tell you things, things you need and want to know. So tell me, Ryder, do I have your attention?" the still unnamed woman asked with a slight hint of desperation in her voice. Turning her head toward her, Ryder gave her answer.  
  
"I stopped walking didn't I?"  
  
* I should have just kept on walking. But that woman did have my attention by then. Still to this day, I have no idea as to who she was or how she knew the things she did. Especially about my parents. Some of the things she told me…Well, lets just say that I didn't even know most of them. Most of the time, I chose not to believe her. Like the things she told me about the so called 'almighty power' of this cruddy piece of jewelry. But the more I carry this amulet, and the more I get chased down by fiends, that I'm not exactly sure are human, the more I start to believe what the hag told me. I wish I had believed her when I started out on this little trip. I probably would have been a lot better off. And now that I think about it, 'he' might have been one of the people she warned me about. Though, sometimes I'm not sure about that. Because without him, I probably would have been beheaded, disemboweled, and dismembered about ten times or so. I don't know what possessed him to stick with me for so long, but I guess I'm glad he did. But I still can't forgive him right off for opening his big rum soaked mouth about this hunk of junk.  
  
Hmm, I wander if he's even looking for me? Probably not, I to much of a 'lard for brains, waste of cargo space' as he so poetically put it. I suppose its to much to ask for him to look for me. After all, I did almost wreck his beloved boat. That's right I said boat, not ship. Hehe, that would probably really burn his boots. Though I did almost destroy his pride and joy, that's still no reason for him to do what he did. And guess what? I don't what him to find me! I'm fine all by myself, I don't need that insufferable man to take care of me! Do I?  
  
Ah. Just go away, I need to sleep. I'll finish telling this so called 'adventurous' story in the morning. Oh, and if you stay up and, ya know, 'he' come sauntering by, don't tell him about all I said. Savvy? Oh…oh no. That blasted man and his speech!* 


	2. Chapter Two

******* Hey there people. Or 'person' since I've only gotten one review so far. Thanks to that one person, and by the way…you said in your review something about Port Royal being in Jamaica. Yes, I do know that and that is why in the first few sentences or two I put 'hop a ship over to Port Royal.' I'm not getting mad or anything, I just thought I'd point it out. And thanks for telling me about the bridle, not bridal thing…heh, its amazing what you can miss sometimes eh? Oh hey, if anyone out there can tell me how to make some of my font italicized it would be greatly appreciated. I've tried and tried to make it show up, and I think I'm gonna have to go into therapy over the deal. So, here's the next chapter if anyone is reading it. And of course, REVIEW!!!!!  
  
Oh, and I might not have labeled the thought part very well at the beginning and end of the chapter. Her thoughts are between * at the beginning and end, and their in first person. Until I can figure out how to get italics to show up on here, that's how its gonna have to be done. EVERYTHING BELOW THE CHAPTER TITLE IS THE STORY SO READ IT ALL!!! I don't what anyone getting confused, and there is not A/N at the end, its still the story.  
  
Chapter Two  
  
*Well, well, well. Looks like I wasn't killed in my sleep after all, huh? Since I don't have anything else to do, besides try to get this damn knot out of my hair, I could finish what I was tellin' ya yesterday. Now where was I? The incident with Nero on the ship? No, no, that's not it…saving 'his' arse for the hundredth time? No, that ain't it. Oh, I know! That crazy woman just gave me that horrid amulet. Speaking of which, where is that blasted thing? Ah, who cares, its not that big of an island, it couldn't have gone far. Well, where should I start? How about a little after I talked to that woman, back home…*  
  
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"Port Royal?! Ye got ta be daft! It takes a good amount a time ta get down there on ship! Ta ride a horse down there its…its daft!" Endinea repeated herself in a tone of voice that shook the small house. Apparently, she was taking it worse then Ryder had hoped. Endinea may not be her mother, or of any blood relation whatsoever, but she was still a parent figure in some way.  
  
"Give me some credit 'ere. Nero's a fast horse, we can make it in good time."  
  
"He's a bit horse lass, 'is not built for speed! He's a work horse, not a race horse! I've been tellin' ya that fer years! 'Tat's why ye hardly ever win none a them races!" Endinea argued back and slammed a cast iron skillet on the table while motioning toward the stallion tied up back.  
  
"Hey, he's got potential, but that's beside the point! We CAN make it down there, and we WILL get this amulet to…where ever its 'spose ta go!" Ryder replied and pulled the necklace out of her pocket, and shoved it in the old woman's face. For a moment she said nothing, just stared at the ugly stone swinging back and forth in front of her.  
  
"This…this is what your suppose ta deliver?! This piece of gypsy craft?! This looks like its worth about as much as a pirates word!" Endinea yelled. "Its completely daftly ta go runnin' about down there just 'cause some ol' hag told ya it was important!"  
  
Ryder opened her mouth to retort but shut it quickly. Maybe she was right. Maybe the old crone was just lying to her, buy why would she lie about something like this? Besides, she knew about her parents. She could just be an old fortune teller looking for a few laughs, but it just didn't fit. Old women weren't suppose to go around telling lies of this magnitude. Then again, young women weren't suppose to go around riding horses either.  
  
"Fake or no, its somethin' ta try at. Its not like I don't 'ave anything better ta do 'ere." the girl said in a stubborn, but calm voice. "And I highly doubt that ye could stop me if I went."  
  
"Ye be right lass." said Endinea in a laughing tone. "If ye wanted ta go, you'd go and there be nothin' that anyone could do ta stop ya." Shaking her head, the woman took the amulet from Ryder's grasp and ran a rough, stubby thumb over the brown stone. Anyone could see that the elder thought the whole idea was poppycock. The idea was riding down to the southern point and getting on a ship to Port Royal. Insanity, that's what it was. A young girl like that would never make it in one piece, not without help that is, and who would help her? Endinea could see it all now. She could be beat to a pulp by road robbers and dumped on a beach where any pirate could reach her. She was right though, both of them were. If Ryder wanted to go, she would go, and judging by the ridged look etched across her features, she wanted to go. Letting out a heavy sigh, Endinea handed the trinket back.  
  
"I'm not yer mother, so I'm not gonna pretend ta be, and that ol' thing back there definitely ain't yer father." she motioned with her head toward the back of the house where the curses of an old man could be heard. "So…Its yer choice lass. Now hear me, I still don't like the idea one bit, but if ye think this be the right thing ta do…then who am I ta tell ya no?"  
  
Taking the necklace back in her hand, Ryder looked at Endinea with her good eye. She had expected an all out war to ensue. Yelling and screaming about how a girl like Ryder, with a handicap like hers couldn't do it. She had expected breaking dishes, shattering glass, anything but a smile and an agreement. This is what she wanted though, she so didn't mention it. Instead she smiled a crooked smile back and dashed up the stairway to her small room to collect the necessary things to travel.  
  
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*I left the next morning. All I got was a grunt from the old man, but Endinea was a little harder to leave. Sitting here, I wonder if I'll ever seem them again. To see that little town, those huge fields, to hear that old man curse, and to see Endinea smack him on the head with a rolling pin. I wonder if I'll ever see Nero again? Is he even alive? I'm sure he is, that horse has the strongest will I've ever seen, so he won't go down just because of a little water. Once again, at least that's what I keep telling myself. Will I ever make see that rickety old boat…ship, again? Or that sharp tongued woman onboard, or that man that smelled of hogs and mud. What of them? I'm sure their all ok, their pirates after all, but that doesn't mean I'll see them again.   
  
Listen to me. I shouldn't be spilling my feelings out to you people, but I can't help but be a bit afraid. I'm so alone. I almost miss…no, never mind. I'm not gonna get into 'him' again. I do wonder though…is he looking for me? Will I ever see 'him' again? Ahem…where was I? Oh, yes. Lets move on a few days shall we? Nothing of much interest happened in those days, except for the morning when I traveled a little to far inland and had a problem with a unsteady cliff…*  
  
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It started out as a good idea, really it did. It would be an easy short cut through some little forests and to the coast. Saving the time of going all the way around that point. Though Ryder soon realized that it wasn't that easy to navigate when everything around you looked the same.  
  
"Moss…south side of the tree? No, west side…" she mumbled to herself while she continued through the tall trees. Below her, Nero made a rough grunt as if to say, 'your lost, admit it and we'll both be happier'.   
  
The days had been fairly easy on the traveling pair. Although weather didn't seem to be on their side. Heavy rains had poured down for hours on end at times, followed by gusts of winds which made the two, who were already cold from the rain, even more chilled. Ryder was still satisfied though, seeing it that neither of them caught an illness during their wet state.  
  
"Water, I hear water!" she suddenly called out and clicked her tongue a few times to urge Nero a little faster. Not that the clicking really worked, but he had also heard the water. Ryder wasn't thirsty, but she knew that a river this close to the coast line had to lead to the ocean. Things were starting to look up again.   
  
As the sound grew louder, the horse slowed then gradually came to a stop. A cliff. Not what Nero was hoping for, but still ok in Ryder's eyes. Sliding down to the ground she took the large sized leather pouch full of water and tossed an old pan on the ground she had brought just for occasions like this. Plopping down on the cliff side, she poured a generous amount of water into the pan and quickly drew back her hand before Nero lunged his mouth into the cool liquid. She wasn't exactly sure how far they'd traveled, but she guessed to far to turn back. The necklace was now dangling from her neck and rested against the cloth of her dark green clothing. Ryder was hesitant about taking one of her mothers dressings on this goose chase, but it gave her a small sense of security. It was sewn much like her other brown cover, but its color was not was worn and had beautifully embroidered gold stitching along the rim of the hood, which was currently pulled back. It was only meant to cover the real dress from dirtying, like the other, but sadly this old piece of cloth held more beauty then her dress on the inside.  
  
The sound of Nero pushing around the empty pan signaled for her to start off again. Placing the dish back in the pack she carried with her, Ryder pulled herself onto the large animals back. Tugging on the reigns in the direction the river flowed, both girl and horse where refreshed to a certain point. The calming breeze brushed past them and toyed with the coarse hair of the stallion and the slightly tangled hair of the young woman. It was times like these when she felt as if this trip wouldn't be so bad after all…but when she had those thoughts, something always came along to ruin them, and this time was no different.   
  
Both of the travelers could feel the ground beneath them start to fail under the weight of the great horse. There was no time allowed for any escape attempt, the ground was slipping, and it was slipping fast. The last thing Ryder heard was the struggling sounds of Nero and the vicious roar of the river below.  
  
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* To this day I still won't walk along a cliff side for more then ten feet. Well, I'm not sure how we made it out of that alive, but we did. After all, I'm not the best swimmer in the world and usually Nero sinks like a rock. Like I said, the last thing I remember was hearing the rare sound of Nero panicking and the river. The last thing I remember before I woke up anyway. After that all I remember is waking up to a warm beach, salty ocean, and an unconscious man…*  
  
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"Uhhhhhghhh…what?" the small voice of a now awake Ryder echoed across the quiet beach. Blinking her eyes rapidly, she looked around and took in her surroundings. A beach, the ocean…oh good, Nero nearby, and a dead man. Wait.  
  
Raising up to her knees she looked over at the pile of human resting nearby. No sign of life came from him, and the fact of just coming across a dead guy kind of made her a bit nervous. Finally standing to her full height, she looked down at herself. She was soaked to the bone, but generally ok, at least there were no parts missing that she saw of. Brushing the layers off the sand that had clung to her skin and clothing, she turned toward the relatively calm mouth of the river that emptied into the crystalline waters of the ocean. On the bank of the river stood Nero, filling his belly with the cool waters. Ryder had to shake her head at him. She had seen horses eat and eat and eat, but she had never seen any drink as much as the stallion could. Looking up at the sky, she let a smile break across her face. She didn't know how she had made it all the way down the river alive, but she made it and that's all that matters. Still looking upwards she thought to herself, 'at least someone seems to be on my side.' A sight escaped her lips as she glanced back down and was once again brought back to a small problem. The presumably dead man.  
  
Ryder was a little cautious at approaching him, after all he did look like a dead fish…and smelled like one at the moment also. Bending down just enough to get a hold of his arm, she quickly yanked him so that he was face up. 'Pirate' was the first word that came to her mind. His hair, which was matted into thick strands in most places, flowed across the pale sand and was pulled away from his uncomfortably handsome face by a read bandana. An assortment of beads decorated the deep brown hair along with the tips of the two braids that were formed from his beard that ran along his jaw line. His lips were partly open with shallow breaths escaping every now and then which blew across the mustache that covered his top lip. Skin that told of years in the sun covered his body and made his off white shirt to appear brighter then it actually was. The rest of his clothing was covered in sand and worn from work on the open sea.   
  
The girl rolled her eyes at herself when she swallowed a strange lump that had formed in her throat while gazing down at the man. Lowering a hand she pulled back on of his eyelids to see if he made any response. All she got was an unconscious groan and a bit of black on her finger from the kohl that surrounded his eyes. Looking around again for any sign of any other life, Ryder stood but kept her gaze on the uncharacteristically good looking pirate. Though her one eyed gaze was far and sharp all she saw was some washed up seaweed and a tricornered hat near the tree line.   
  
Trudging up to the dirty hat, Ryder slammed it down on the sand next to the man. She wasn't mad at him or the hat, but she was a little agitated at her conscience. This man, no matter how attractive, was a pirate, but she knew that the guilt of just leaving him there on the beach would nag her and nag her until she went mad. Besides, the look that Nero was giving her close by told her that he wasn't leaving without the pile of man. It was strange, at least she thought, how the stallions eyes held such meaning all the time. In fact, it got to her so much that she wouldn't say anything bad about him when he was within a ten foot radius in fear that he could actually understand her.   
  
Running a hand over her face, Ryder motioned Nero over and started the first of many attempts to get the water logged man on the horse.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Now, she was certain that she saw a few houses back there. Of course, Ryder was also certain that she would never help a pirate, but here she was, lost again, with a pirate on her horses back. She had hoped that there was some place where she could just drop him off and then be on her way, but so far she'd had no luck. Once again, all she could see where trees, trees, and more trees, but this time she was careful the keep track of what directions she went in so that she could easily get back to the coast. As the day drew on and the man had yet to wake from his coma like state, Ryder's steps turned into plodding shuffles, and Nero's head was hung low from its usual high position.  
  
"That's enough." Ryder announced and stopped in the middle of the path. "We're resting. If that man EVER wakes up, he can find his own way to civilization."   
  
With that she tugged off Nero's bridle and placed a rope around his neck and tied it loosely to a tree nearby. After that she planted her feet firmly on the loose dirt ground and pulled on the legs of the sleeping man. The first time she only accomplished pulling off one of his boots, but the second time brought more success. Though she did knock his head against a small rock…accidentally of course. The next order of business was to get a fire going, and after an hour or so that became a reality. Somewhat anyway, the fire was only big enough for one person in all reality, but it made do.   
  
Night fell on the now three travelers. Nero had long since faded into sleep and was slightly leaning against the tree he was tied to. Ryder was sitting on top of a large stump near the warmth of the fire, keeping an eye out for any intruders or any movement from the man. The man was probably sword fighting or commandeering ships somewhere…in his dreams that is. While this still un named man rested, Ryder had taken the opportunity to separate him from any of his 'piraty' items. Like his pistol, with no gun powder, a few daggers, and an old rusted cutlass. Just in case he woke up and decided it was the time of day to kill, maim, and or do other unmentionable things to a certain one eyed girl. There was also a compass latched onto his leather belt which she had discovered. Opening the black container, she raised one eyebrow. A compass that didn't point north?   
  
"You, good sir, have got ta be the worst pirate I've ever seen." she snickered at him and tossed the compass on top of the pile of his belongings. Leaning back a little, Ryder stared with a suspicious eye at the sleeping pirate. She didn't dare fall asleep in case he woke up and turned out to be one of those blood thirsty pirates Endinea had warned her about so many times. In all honesty, the man looked so beat up that she doubted he could hurt her if he wanted to. Well, maybe he 'could' hurt her, just not as much as he could if he was in top condition.   
  
He had an open gash on his right arm that was currently staining his already stained shirt with blood. A bruise was beginning to form on his jaw line, along with several others on various places. The man probably found his way onto the beach not very long before she woke up, seeing it that these things were just now starting to stand out. Letting out a sigh she walked over and kneeled down next to him while pulling the end of her dress out from under the cover piece. Ripping a fair sized about off she wrapped it around the bloodied wound on his arm, and dunked another piece of cloth in some on Nero's water before dabbing it on the bruises. A few times the man stirred in his sleep which caused Ryder to freeze mid-dab, but she eventually got through it without him waking up. Sitting back on her stump she crossed her arms over her chest and gave a satisfied smile.  
  
"Well, I 'spose I've done my good deed for the day."  
  
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Ryder wasn't sure when she let herself fall asleep that night, but when she woke up the next morning to the sound of someone rummaging through her things she knew she made a mistake. Cracking her eye open from behind the thick curtain of hair that fell in her face, she tried to pretend she was still in the dream world when she saw the pirate awake and lively. Although to her relief, it wasn't her stuff he was going through, it was his own. Deciding on letting him go on and leave she closed her eye, but kept her senses sharp. She moved a bit in her sleep which caused the man to pause in his searching. It was then when she moved that she realized that something was missing.   
  
Opening her eye again she noticed that the small pouch of shillings she had on her make shift belt was gone…and was now resting in the palm of the pirate. Ryder gritted her teeth in anger. He may have been a pirate, but she couldn't just let him take her only money could she? Of course not! So pulling together all the courage she had she slowly and steadily reached for the pirates cutlass that was sitting against a tree nearby. Her steps where quick but quiet as she made her way toward the mans back and raised the point of the blade with both of her hands grasping it tightly.  
  
"G-Give me back my money you…you…" she stuttered and tried to come up with a harsh insult. Unfortunately, she was never that good at insults…and even if she was, when that man turned around and looked her in the eye she probably could have said one anyway. Such eyes. They were so laid back and relax, yet so alert and prepared. If Ryder hadn't have known that he was a sea robber, she probably would have melted into a puddle girl. The hair, the eyes, the kohl…And it was in that moment that she first saw that smirk that she came to hate and love at the same time.  
  
"I see that your up and about darling. What, no breakfast made yet?" he said with a smooth and drunken voice with a golden smile. Ryder narrowed her eyes in an irritated fashion. Swallowing yet another lump in her throat she repeated her demand with more confidence.  
  
"Give me back my money!" she stated and raised the sword higher so that it was trained on his neck. Then when he took a step towards her, some of her courage flew away. "Uh…please?" Her face became even more aggravated when he let out a heavy laugh.  
  
" Tha's got ta be the first time anyone has said 'please' ta me! Let me tell ye somethin' lass," he stepped out from behind the point of the sword and stood next to her with an arm around her shoulders. " 'Please' don't get ye anywhere when dealin' wit pirates, love. Ye gotta be tough, rough…though I doubt that a cute lil' strumpet like you could get rough or tough." he finished with that grin again and tapped his index finger on her nose, completely ignoring her request. Ryder suddenly had a strong urge to backhand that smirk right of his, still quite attractive, face. Instead, she held back the urge and snatched the pouch from his dirty hand that was resting on her shoulder. Backing away a few steps with a cold glare on him, she dropped the cutlass on the ground and skittered over to untie Nero. Still with the one eyed stare on the man, she grabbed her things and stalked away from the smirk she hated with the horse close behind.  
  
"A cute little strumpet like you, blah, blah, blah!" she mocked him in a twisted voice. She had to admitt, it was a strange thing that just happened back there. He basically had a conversation with her, just ignoring the fact that he could probably kill her right on the spot. Another strange thing was that she didn't even feel any fear toward him even when he was close enough to strangle the life out of her. Then he just let her walk off…what kind of pirate was he anyway?  
  
"Now, where am I again?" she stopped and looked around. None of this looked familiar at all. Groaning she tilted her head back and looked up to the sky and mouthed 'why me?'. Yes, it was true, she was lost…again.   
  
"The coast has to be…" she closed her eyes and threw a rock in front of her. "That way!" she stated when the rock landed to the left, and she began pulling Nero behind her again.  
  
"Not very good at navigatin' are ya love?" the familiar slurred voice came from behind her. Ryder's shoulders stiffened and she rolled her eye before turning around with a face that said 'what do YOU what?' There he was, all dressed with his tricorn hat, and that arrogant smirk to top it all off.  
  
"Leave. Me. Alone." she said slowly and turned back around with a faster walk.  
  
"Sorry ta dissapoint ye, but if ye think tha tha's the way back to the ocean your off by more then a few degrees lass." he advised and crossed her arms over his toned chest.  
  
"Did I ask for yer help?" she called over her shoulder.   
  
"Suit yerself." he gave the last remark and headed in the opposite direction. Ryder hated it, but she knew that he probably new his way around a bit better. So throwing away what pride she had left, she turned and jogged back toward his retreating form.  
  
"Wait. Just wait." she said and grabbed onto his arm to make him slow down a bit. "This is the way back right? Yer not just tellin' me that ta lure me down to a dark part of the woods or anythin' right?"   
  
"If I wanted ta take advantage of yer nievity, tiny structure, and all around vulnerability, I would 'ave done it back there darling." he replied and turned his gaze toward her, as if waiting for her to give some remark back. All he got was a girl trying to calm herself down and a simple, but angry toned question.  
  
"Who are you?" Ryder questioned through clenched teeth. He stopped completely turned to her and removed his hat in a false gentlemen gesture.  
  
"Ye haven't guessed yet love? I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."  
  
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* Captain Jack Sparrow. That name will always stick with me, even if I try to forget it. That day in the forest when he told me who he was, I told him that I'd never heard of any Jack Sparrow. Of course that was a lie, I had heard of him many times from the merchant sailors that come up from the Caribbean, but I didn't want to give him the pleasure of knowing that. I guess you could say that this was the beginning of this whole venture. Ya know, when I left Endinea she told me that pirates would be out there and that a young girl like me should watch her back. As soft as it sounds, I never really felt like I had to watch my back around Jack, because I always felt like he was watching my back for me. Sorry about that, I shouldn't be getting so emotional over him. Come back tomorrow and I'll tell ya more of the story. Believe me, it gets pretty interesting. 


	3. Chapter Three

*********I'm back with a new chapter!! Yippy! Sorry, I'll calm down. Thanks to all that reviewed, I really appreciate it. Anyway, here's the next chapter, enjoy.  
  
Chapter Three  
  
*Oh, hello there. Back so soon? Well good, because this is when the interesting stuff begins. Lets see, last time I left off at Jacks little 'I'm Captain Jack Sparrow' line didn't I? Yes, and he was leading me ta the coast again right? Yeah, I'm gettin' pretty good at this story tellin' job. Hmm…why don't we start off at the beach? Yeah, yeah, I did think that Jack was going to lure me somewhere and kill me, but it turned out he didn't. We got to the beach intact, and that's when my little partnership or whatever ya want to call it, really started with Captain Jack Sparrow…*  
  
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"What did I tell ye love? 'ere we are safe 'n sound." the voice of the pirate drifted over the white sands of the beach.  
  
"Good, good. Now leave me alone!" Ryder called back to him as she trudged on down the coast. Along the way she had had about enough of the mans ramblings of how great a captain he was and how it was impossible that she had not have heard of him. When he spoke like this the girl had to hold back a grin. She had heard of the legends of Jack Sparrow many times, but seeing it that she didn't really have much of a liking toward the man himself, she decided to hit him where it hurt. His ego.  
  
"I still find it highly unlikely that you 'ave never heard of the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow." he continued coming up behind her. "Even up 'ere its hard to avoid the intricate tales of the legend which is me self."  
  
"Why are you still 'ere?!" she stopped and turned glaring at him, and started motioning with her hands. "Go, go away! Your like a dog that wants to follow me home!"  
  
"Well if ye want me ta follow ya home love, I wouldn't be havin' a problem with tha'." he replied with a smirk. Ryder couldn't help her eye from twitching.  
  
"Love, darling! I'm not yer love or yer darling! I 'ave a name!" she burst out and flung her arms out.   
  
"Well then do tell…darling." he teased, unfazed by her yelling.  
  
"Ryder." she stated plainly. "So don't call me love or darling!" she grumbled. For a moment or two, Jack just stared at her then a smile came on his face. "What? What could you possibly be grinnin' at?"  
  
"I'm afraid I can't be callin' ya 'Ryder'."   
  
"And why not?" she demanded in a frustrated tone.  
  
"Cause if I start callin' ye by tha', I might forget I was talkin' to a lass." this little remark from the pirate earned him a deadly stare.  
  
"It is not a lads name! It can be either one, so start callin' me by it if yer gonna follow me!" she yelled. It was unusual for this girl to be yelling so much, but this man…he just infuriated her to no extent.  
  
  
  
"Fine, fine. If ye wish it…love." he finished off, leaving Ryder to fume ahead of him. A few moments passed and not a word was said between the two, not even the noise of Nero flowed through the air. Suddenly the silence was broken by the rough humming of Jack. Ryder only raised an eyebrow at him and continued on. It wasn't long before she recognized the tune, and she couldn't help but hum along.  
  
"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirates life fer me…" Jack said out loud before speaking to Ryder. "So, Ryder, if I may ask. What's a lass like you doin' trudgin' about alone?"  
  
"I can't tell ya." she said in a deadpan voice. When she started this whole journey, she promised herself that she wouldn't tell anyone about the amulet she was suppose to deliver, and this man was no exception.   
  
"Oh come on now, ye can tell ol' Jack." he prodded.  
  
"No I can't."  
  
"Come on love, ye can trust me can't ye?"  
  
"No." she replied, ignoring the 'love' part. Jack put a hand to his chest in mock shock.  
  
"I'm hurt lass, I really am." he said with 'that' smirk.   
  
"Look, why are you still 'ere?" Ryder questioned again and stopped, looking him in the eye. "Shouldn't you be goin' to yer ship, Captain?" she said, her words dripping with sarcasm.   
  
"Good point, but no worries. The Pearl should be 'ere ta get me anytime now." he answered and walked on past her.  
  
"Oh really, and how's that? You weren't exactly drinkin' with yer crew when I found ye. So my guess is, they don't know where you are, and you don't know where they are. Am I right, Captain?" she finished, putting emphasis on the word 'captain.' Jack stopped walked and twirled around before swaying back over to her.  
  
"They'll find me, or I'll find them. Tha's the way it works darling." he said and looked down at her. Ryder was a good eight inches shorter then him, so he still stood as a pretty intimidating figure to her, though she refused to show it. "Then milady, I will be out of your hair, and back on me way ta the Caribbean."   
  
Ryder was about to open her mouth, to once again corrected him on the 'darling' issue, but her expression froze. The Caribbean…Port Royal. A smile came onto her face as she realized her luck. Someone was on her side after all! But could she convince Jack to let her on his ship? Well he did owe her to some degree. She did drag him off the beach last night, and she did wrap his wound didn't she? Right, so he owes her a favor. Jacks expression was confused at her unknown happiness when she looked back up to him, and turned even more puzzled when her tone suddenly turned almost…sweet.  
  
"Jack, no…Captain Jack," she started and batted her good eye at him. "Ya wouldn't just leave a poor young girl like me 'ere all by 'er self would ye?"  
  
"Uh…" the Captain looked around and took one step back as she took a step toward him. He was used to whores, and unnaturally sweet women that he tried to pick up, but when a girl like Ryder, who was up until now hating his entire existence suddenly started acting like this, it threw him a little off.  
  
"After all, Captain Jack Sparrow, I'm only seventeen. There's no tellin' what could happen to me out 'ere, all alone." she said as sweetly as she could muster and took a step closer to him and inhaled quickly. "I know! You could take me with ya, on your grand ship, the Black Pearl. She really is a great ship Captain, I would love ta ride aboard, with you." she finished. She almost laughed to herself, the only way to a mans heart was through his ship. The eye behind the patch twitched when the pirate made no response. So Ryder grabbed his collar and pulled Jacks face down close to hers. His breath was coated with the scent of rum, but Ryder ignored the smell and whispered as seductively as she could.  
  
"In other words, Captain…You owe me!" she yelled the last part, her last nerve snapping. After all, she could only stay out of character for a short amount of time. Jack was jolted back a bit from surprise. Ah well, he knew it couldn't last forever.  
  
"I owe ya? Why would I owe ye anythin'?" he questioned, clearly a little upset from her act, though he tried to hide it.  
  
"I dragged ya off of the beach, I laid ya in front of a warm fire, and I wrapped yer wound! I could 'ave just left ya there fer the sand snakes ta munch on!" she argued, placing her hands firmly on her hips.   
  
"Ha!" he let out and threw his hands in the air. "I would've been fine without ye! I probably would've been a lot betta, cause now I gotta deal with a whiny little whelp lass!"  
  
"Whiny! Well aren't ye just chock full a gratitude! Ye know everyone was right about you pirates! I should've just let Nero 'ere stomp ya ta death!" at that Nero let out a deep sound beside her. "But fine! Since your obviously not in the generous mood, I'll just be goin'!" she finished and started ta hoist herself up onto Nero's back. "Goodbye Mr. Sparrow." with that she took off down the beach.  
  
Jack stood there with a stubborn look on his face as she watched the young woman ride off. Whether he liked it or not, he did owe her something. Probably nothing would have happened if she had left him on the beach, but it was the fact that she 'didn't' leave him on the beach that left him feeling guilty as he watched her go off on her own. Even though she was trying to literally sweet talk him back there, she was right, he didn't really want to let her go off alone. She was just a young girl after all. He was Captain Jack Sparrow though, why did he care about a runt of a girl like Ryder? He had to admit, when he woke up that morning by the warmth of a dieing fire, he felt thankful toward the one eyed girl. He wasn't sure how she managed it with her small stature, but she had somehow got him all the way into the forest, and she had even dressed his wound. At that thought, Jack raised a hand to brush over the still tender cut. It was strange, he wasn't even sure how he had got it. Finally, the Captain pushed aside his pride and called out to the still retreating girl.  
  
"Ryder! Stop, stop, stop!" he called bringing Ryder and Nero to a halt. The said girl couldn't help but smile at the approaching man. Not only because he had called her by her real name and not 'love' or 'darling', also because that sweet talk had worked. Ha, men were so easy. She could have easily rode over to him, but she decided to make him come to her, after all it was he who wanted to see her right? When the pirate finally reached the duo, he stood there staring at her for a moment. He knew what game she was playing…hard to get.  
  
"What'd ya want Sparrow?" she questioned in fake harshness.  
  
"Come down off tha' beast and I'll tell ye." he replied looking up at her with squinting eyes. Ryder sighed and slide down off the animal and stood expectantly in front of Jack with one hand on her hip and the other grasping Nero's reigns.   
  
"Ok, 'ere's how it is lass," the Captain started. "you want ta get passage aboard me ship, so this is wha' I'm gonna do. I will let you come aboard me ship, only on the count that ye went through all tha' trouble last night. But ye'll 'ave ta earn your way, yer not gonna get any special treatment jus' cause ye did me a favor, savvy?"  
  
"Tha's it? Yer jus' gonna make me work like any other crew member, and in return ye'll drop me off in Port Royal? No catches?" Ryder questioned a bit suspiciously.  
  
"Course not love." he gave her that smirk again. "Unless ye'd like me ta repay ya in a more…entertaining fashion." at this the girl raised her brow, then looked down to her right side where she felt the fingers of Jack slowly run along. Gasping, she looked back up at him with wide eyes, and pulled her arm back to give him a good backhanded slap across the face, sending our dear Captain Sparrow slightly off balance from surprise.  
  
"I'm not one of yer rum drunk whores Sparrow!" she yelled.  
  
"Its 'ard fer a man ta tell, the way ya let 'im do it!" Jack blurted out, but suddenly regretted it when he saw her pulling back again and slapping him again. It was only palm first this time, but the strong sting was there none the less. The man wasn't sure why, but something about this girl just made him want to yell and insult. Then sometimes she made him want to roll his eyes and give in. Women were so complicated, even to Captain Jack Sparrow.  
  
"Joke," the spat out and turned his face slowly, almost cautiously back toward her with a slight smile. "just a joke, darling."  
  
"Men." Ryder muttered and turned away from him. "I'm goin' fer a walk. I need ta get away from ya for a while before I scratch out yer eyes."  
  
"I wouldn't do tha'. Ye wouldn't want ta miss yer ship now would ya?" he called after her, regaining his composure. She only turned back with a laugh as she came near to the top of a sand hill.  
  
"Ha! If that ship 'does' show up, which I doubt it will, Captain…Captain…" she stood there looking down on him, seething trying to come up with an insult. Finally she spit out. "Captain Canary!" Jack only stood there with an unreadable expression. He had been called a bastard, a dirty dog, even a blood thirsty criminal…but Captain Canary? He had to admit, it was slightly clever of the girl, him taking so much pride in his name and all. The man let out a groan then turned his attention back to her when she continued.  
  
"And if that ship, no…BOAT, does show up, I will personally serve ya yer meals, shine yer boots, an' sharpen yer blade fer a week!" she spat out in anger. Honestly, that man had made so many remarks toward her that it was getting to the point where she'd rather go on riding Nero. She scampered up the hill with the horse in close second, leaving a sighing Jack behind.   
  
Mumbling to herself, Ryder finally reached the top and let out a heavy breath, but that breath was suddenly stopped when she looked out on the horizon. 'No…oh no' she thought to herself. 'It couldn't possibly…', but it was. The infamous Black Pearl was quickly making her way over the blue painted scenery. Her mouth drooped open and her eyes stayed neutral, in a shocked state. She heard the sand behind her shift, then felt the gaze of a certain man on her. Turning her rather pathetic expression toward him, she was presented with a smug grin.  
  
"Ah, yer sure gonna make a' lovely little maid love." he said with an amused look and reached over to flick her still dropped chin. As he walked on down the other side of the hill and toward his still approaching ship, Ryder just stood there with a look that put puppy dogs to shame. Then that sad little look became blank and she looked around herself before glancing back to Jack and mumbled to herself.  
  
"I really hate that man."  
  
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*Ah, its good to share those memories again. Now that I look back on them, I can't help but thing how much I really 'did' hate Jack at that time. Like I said when I started this little tale, he was the most obnoxious and stubborn man I had ever met. Ah well, I'm not gonna hide it from ya, he did start to grow on me a little bit, but that's not till later. Wouldn't want to be gettin' ahead of ourselves now would we? As I was sayin', the Black Pearl did show up to my complete surprise, and we were met on shore by a man that had the odor of a skunk, and another man who was a little too quiet for my taste…*  
  
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"The horse ain't goin' so ya might as well jus' drop it now." Jack shot toward Ryder and crossed his arms over his chest. The past few minutes had been filled with the Captain and the young woman going back and forth about what to do about the said horse.  
  
"He's goin' an' tha's final!" Ryder said back, also crossing her arms and turning toward Jack.  
  
"There's no way we can get 'im ta the ship, an' tha's final!" retorted Jack.  
  
"Ya 'ave a perfectly good little boat right 'ere that he could stand in." she gestured toward the row boat where the two crew members were sitting, watching the two quarrel with interest. Jack let out a growl and made some hand gestures in front of Ryder's face.  
  
"Fine, fine!" he started. "But, he'll just 'ave ta swim ta the ship, cause wit' 'im in that boat we won't all fit." he negotiated. Girl-2, Jack-0.  
  
"He can't swim, he sinks like a barrel full a' potatoes." she said and started pulling Nero toward the row boat.  
  
"Do potatoes float?" one of the men from the boat asked, and the other just shrugged.  
  
  
  
"We can't all fit in tha' boat!" Jack grabbed hold of the reigns to stop her from leading the animal in.  
  
"Then some of us are jus' gonna 'ave ta swim ain't we?" Ryder looked toward jack and raised a brow expectantly. For the next few minutes the two had an eye war. One threw a 'get in the water or die' look, then the other sent 'no way in hell'. Back and forth, back and forth it went until finally…  
  
"AH! Damn it all!" the frustrated Captain yelled as he pulled off his hat, jacket, and other effects, and tossed them into the boat. Ryder in the meantime had a grin plastered on her face, and was situating Nero in the boat. The girl wins again. She began to yank off her mothers cover dress when she looked back over to Jack, who was looking at her with a half smile. Grunting she pulled the cover all the way off to reveal just a plain white and gray dress, leaving Jack with a dull expression.  
  
"Sorry ta disappoint ya." she said rolling her eyes and tossed her garments into the boat. She glanced down to the necklace that was still fastened around her neck and shrugged. The thing looked like it had already been through hell, what was a little water gonna do to it? So tucking the amulet safely inside her dress, she followed Jack out into the shallows while the boat containing the large Nero made its way inch by inch to the Black Pearl.  
  
"I can't believe…I let ya talk…me inta this lass." he panted as he swam along side the girl.  
  
"Yeah, neither can I." she replied with a smirk on her face. As the waters grew deeper the two began to talk less and less. Not that they didn't have anything to say to each other, because God knew they did, but that moment just didn't seem like the time. Eventually though, one of them did finally speak.  
  
"So, Jack. Why are ya up here any…way…" she trail off as she searched around for her fellow swimmer, and came up with no Sparrow in sight. Ryder treaded water and circled around several times in an attempt to find the lost pirate, but after a minute or so, she began to panic.  
  
"Jack! This ain't funny!" she called out. "Don't think I won't jus' leave ya and go on ta the ship!" she warned, but to no avail. Not a sound was heard from the missing captain. 'What if he drowned? It would be all my fault cause I convinced him ta do this in the first place!' she thought to herself. 'I can't go back to the ship without 'im, what'll the crew do? Probably kill me and cut me inta little pieces fer the sharks and…Ahh!' Her thoughts screamed as a very winded, very proud looking Jack Sparrow popped to the surface in front of her.  
  
"Ahhh! Damn you Jack Sparrow! Where the hell where ya?!" she exclaimed and positioned her arms to get ready to give him a splash that would knock him back into his coma.  
  
"Easy there lass, didn't know ya cared so about me." he teased with yet another smirk and raised his hands out of the water. Resting in them was a rock, that's it. Just and old beat up rock. "But I thought this might be worth the fright eh?"  
  
"A rock?" she asked with a questionable look, ignoring the 'cared' part.   
  
"Not jus' a rock, love. Come on, I'll show ye what I mean when we get back ta the ship." he motioned toward the Pearl and continued swimming. He was right, Ryder didn't know at all what he meant, but for now she just wanted to get out of the salt flavored water.  
  
When they reached the dark side of the ship Jack quickly found holds, and scaled his way up the side, with the rock tucked under his belt. Ryder, on the other hand, wasn't as graceful at climbing ship sides as Sparrow was. She managed to find the holds that he did, but the idea of her reaching the top wasn't meant to be. Soon she toppled back down into the water below with a echoing and humiliating splash causing Jack to jerk his head back down. Surfacing, the girl looked up at the pirate helplessly then smiled to herself as he sighed and slid back down.  
  
The sight the crew saw as they appeared over the side was quiet amusing. Jack was gripping for anything he could get his hands on, while Ryder was hanging off his back and looking around like a child without a care in the world. Nero and the two men hand been pulled up onboard some time ago, and even the horse was giving the duo a strange look. There was the great Captain Jack Sparrow working, sweating, and struggling just for one girl. The sound of bodies hitting the deck soon sounded, along with a couple of 'oomph's from the bodies. Jack was the first to recover and was soon standing straight, eyeing all of the crew members as the continued to stare.  
  
"What are ya lookin' at, I highly doubt this ships gonna get herself ready ta make way!" he ordered which sent the men scattering. Ryder was still stomach down on the deck in a very uncomfortable looking position. Looking back toward his new 'maid' the Captain raised a brow.  
  
"I doubt yer gonna get my sword sharpened down there darling. Though, you can probably do me boots while yer at that level."  
  
"I doubt yer gonna get my sword sharpened…" Ryder mocked while straightening herself up. Shuffling over to Nero, she grabbed her over cloth and pulled it over her head before adjusting her eye patch. She thought it was strange how Jack had never made a crack about it, maybe he wasn't such an ass after all?  
  
"Well, lets see what ye can do…uh, Ryder?" he started then looked to Nero then back to her.  
  
"What?" she said with a confused look. Jack motioned toward Nero in quick motions.  
  
"The horse…he's…"   
  
"What? He's what?" her questioned was answered by the sickening sound of plopping on the deck near the rear of Nero. Jack slumped his shoulders and rolled his head before giving Ryder a look. She leaned forward, then quickly stepped back when she saw the pile of…well you know what, on the nice clean deck of the Black Pearl. Looking back to Jack, she slunk back a little and gave a sheepish grin.  
  
"Um…oops." 


	4. Chapter Four

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*Yes, I'm back again. I don't know why, but I just have so much more inspiration for this story then my others. Go figure. I decided to add this little tidbit to my note, so thanks to all the people who reviewed. Keep readin' and keep REVIEWING!!!

Elentari II - Thanks for the reviews, and I completely understand about the 'jumping to conclusions' thingy. No biggy, thanks for tellin' me about the errors also.

XoX-PaDfOoTeSs-XoX - Thanks for likin' my story so much, and I'll try to email you as soon as I can.

OzGirly1 - Yes, Ryder is a little spit fire isn't she?

miss wings - Thank you for the review about the 'one of the best stories.' It really made my day, though its not true. 

Dreamgirl22247 - I plan to keep going.

Kaira-chan - Thanks for telling me about the whole italics thing. Oh, and thanks for the nice even hit to the ego.

Allyrien Chantel de Montreve - Yeah, I liked that part myself.

Chapter Four

The sound of grumbling sounded from the young woman swabbing away at the deck of the Black Pearl where Nero decided to leave his little present. The grumbling consisted of mostly cursing the horse along with Jack. How was she suppose to know that Nero would go 'right' then. Of course, she could see why he was making her clean it up, it was her horse after all but that didn't mean she liked it.

"How ya doin' down there lass?" Jack called from his place at the helm. Ryder stopped and looked up at him with a bitter grin across her face.

"Oh fine, just fine!" she called with false happiness. The Captain only chuckled a bit and went back to looking over his ship before a rather chubby, filthy man came up behind him.

"Captain, if ye don't mind me sayin' so again, its terrible bad luck ta have a woman on a ship."

"Don't ye worry Mr. Gibbs, AnaMaria's been 'ere for quite some time now, an' I don't see us havin' a bit a' bad luck." Jack replied gesturing toward the working pirate woman. "So I doubt one mores gonna make a difference eh?"

"Ye got yer point made Jack." Mr. Gibbs continued. "But bringin' aboard a horse as well? Ye sure do like temptin' fate don't ya?

"Jus' think of it this way," a female voice started in, turning both men's heads toward the stairs to see Ryder hauling up the bucket of water and scrubbing brush. "he matches the ship."

"Tha' he does." Jack smirked and turned back to the wheel, leaving Mr. Gibbs to walk away shaking his head. They had been on the sea for a while now, and the sun was beginning to set over the ocean horizon, leaving the surrounding skies a beautiful orange, and red color. Ryder couldn't help but lean against he side of the ship and stare at it for a minute or two. 

"Pretty nice view ain't it love?" Sparrow commented and turned toward the teenager who looked back at him with a small smile.

"Yeah, its beautiful. We never got sunsets like this back home." she said and let out a little sigh. Home, she would like to say that she was sighing because she missed it, but actually…she didn't. She found this new life of solitude rather enjoyable, until Jack came along. Though strangely enough, she still had no urge to go home even with the pirate in her presence.

"And where is 'home' if ye don't mind me askin'?" the said pirate questioned.

****

"Virginia."

"Awfully long way from home ta be by yerself then ain't ya." he stated more then questioned.

"I'm not completely helpless Sparrow, I can take care a' meself." she raised an eyebrow in an irritated fashion.

****

"I never said ye were helpless darling. Just vulnerable." he added and smiled over at her again. Ryder just rolled her eyes, and though she tried to fight it a smile came out back at him. 

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* Vulnerable. That's what he always said I was, and that I needed to change that if I wanted to live a full life. Believe me, I wanted nothing more then to lose that vulnerability, but in time I finally came to realize that losing that was easier said then done. So, until I learned to become more…invulnerable, I let Jack to the manly thing and when the time came I would let him protect me, or whatever you want to call it. Now that I'm actually saying all this stuff I feel pretty whimpy. Of course back then I probably wasn't the strongest woman on earth. Anyway, back to the story. As the days past we finally came to port in a small town on the cost of…well somewhere. I wasn't exactly sure where we were, but I was confident that Jack knew. We mainly just stopped to pick up some supplies we were running low on, like food for instance. I'm tellin' ya, a week of straight watered down rum, and stale bread made a girl hunger for a bit more. I was always wondering why Jack didn't just get what he needed from a passing merchant ship or something like that. I didn't figure out until later how innocent and naive I was back then. Lets just say that I wasn't the only one that knew about that cruddy little pendant I'd been hauling around. I'll get to that later on when it makes more sense.

Hmm, now I think I'll tell ya about the day we left port again. The story in between is too boring to tell. All that happened was we went to a tavern drank, slept, and of course argued. The day we left we had to take the way through the woods on the edge of the town, seeing it that the local officers had heard of Jack's presence in their town. Now that I think about it, we didn't really 'port'. We just anchored off shore and took some row boats to town, but that's not important. What is important is what happened with me, Jack, and a whole bunch of mud…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ryder was starting to get fairly fed up with woods. She'd been lost in them twice, the second time with Jack, and now she was once again in the pine town with tree sap matting her hair. She could just see the humor on Jacks face once he saw her. The only good thing was that she got to ride instead of walk like the rest. Well besides AnaMaria. The first time she met the lady her impression was less then good. She was sharp tongued, aggressive, and all around mean at times. Though in time, like most things in Ryder's life, both women came to speak to one another regularly. Whether it be about the open sea, being a pirate, or even sometimes Jack. The younger woman had found that AnaMaria once held a as she called it 'special feelin' for Jack Sparrow. She didn't actually say love, but Ryder had an idea that special feelin and love were basically the same.

"We got ourselves a problem down 'ere Cap'n!" one of the crew members called from the front. The man who warned was named Charles, or Charlie as the crew called him. He was around the age of 24 or 25 with the shaggiest red hair anyone had ever seen. Ryder had talked to him a couple of times aboard the Pearl and she came to one word to describe him. A letch. Even more so then Jack, which was saying a lot.

****

"Ryder! Bring tha' horse down 'ere!" Jack told her from down near Charlie. She urged Nero down the sloping hill down toward what seemed like a huge lake of pure mud. Most of the crew had stopped ways back and was looking toward the Captain expectantly. In turn he looked up at the two women up on the horse and pointed out across the mud.

"Walk 'im across there. We don't know how deep it is." he said and glanced back toward him.

"What? Ya mean tha' ya don't know how deep tha' is and yer gonna send me out there? It could be a giant sink hole fer all we know!" she protested.

"Exactly love, tha's why yer gonna see fer us. I'll personally pull ye and yer horse out if ye start sinkin'. Meanwhile, you lads go an' see if there's another way 'round." he commanded the crew. Ryder sighed and slid off Nero followed by AnaMaria. The young woman reached down and started pulling off her mothers green cover again, causing retreating crew to give her the same look Jack did, bringing her face into a aggravated twist.

"Go on gents, believe me, there's nothin' ta see. I've checked." Sparrow interrupted their stares and sent them back on their way. Pulling the rest of her outer clothing off she tossed it to AnaMaria who had an amused look on her face. The older woman was glad that she wasn't the only woman around for the men to gawk at anymore. 

Running a hand through her filthy hair, Ryder grabbed onto Nero's reigns and headed for the mud. However, before she got to far, she slipped on some of the excess mud on the bank and fell right into Jack who caught her with a grin.

"I know I'm hard ta resist love, but try ta control yerself until we get some alone time eh?" he said in a slick voice. The girl in the pirates arms set her face in a grim expression and pushed Jack off of her and right into the mud. All was silent until AnaMaria burst out into laughter, which shocked Ryder a bit. A laugh started rising from her throat as well when she looked down at the Captain, completely cover in mud. Though to his relief, his beloved hat escaped the attacking substance. As he stood, the girl bit her bottom lip in an attempt to stifle her laughter, unlike the older woman who was still laughing it up like there was not tomorrow. For a few minutes Jack just looked between the two then finally set his eyes on Ryder.

"I'm, really…sorry Jack. It was an accident." she stuttered a bit in her chuckling as the man walked toward her with a amused expression, which was obviously false.

"Oh I know darling. You wouldn't ever do anythin' like tha' ta me on purpose would ye? Ta show ye there's no hard feelin's…" he started and faded off and opened his arms wide and closed the gap between the two before Ryder could run away. Pulling back, he revealed a mudded girl. This new sight brought the woman off to the side into another fit of giggles while the girl just stood there with a black expression. Thankfully there wasn't enough mud to really get angry about, but she still had to do something about this. A smirk came to her face as she wiped some of the mud spots off, then turned toward Jacks hat.

"No, no…not me hat!" he almost begged as Ryder held her hostage over the pool of mud, the tricornered hat was almost calling to Jack for him to save it. Now the older woman was just staring with a smile on her face between the two, who were having another one of their 'eye fights' again. AnaMaria sometimes thought how their behavior was much the same to that of an old married couple. Just thinking that brought a laughing expression to her face.

"Fine," Ryder started and pulled the hat to safety before putting her hand out in front of her. "Truce?" Jack sighed and grabbed her hand with his own before smiling. The girl narrowed her eyes, then the quickly widened when she felt herself being pulled into the mud. She sat up and looked around her, mud covering almost every inch of her body. AnaMaria, Jack, and even Nero gave her an amused expression. That is until she reached up and grabbed Sparrows coat, bringing him back down to the mud below, face first. He raised his face up and sat next to Ryder in silence while AnaMaria was thinking of ways she could use this little moment against the two someday.

"Well," he started. "At least we know how deep it is now."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

__

* Yeah, those were the days. I never thought that traveling with Jack could be so amusing, but I was wrong about a lot of things back then. Well, after that we were so filthy that Nero wouldn't even let me ride him, not that I blamed him. So, the crew and Captain talked for a while about where they were an such, and they came to the decision that we should camp in the woods until daylight. After all of those happenings, the daylight had quickly faded away, and left everyone in the dark infested forest. Jack decided just to walk around for a while and let the mud dry and flake off him, but I on the other hand, had tree sap, mud, and various types of leaves stuck all over me, so I quickly found a small, calm river to bathe in that was a safe distance from the men. Though that doesn't always mean that they wouldn't find me…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The fresh air entered her lungs as Ryder breached the surface of the water. It had taken a while but she had finally scrubbed all of the mud an sap out of her tan hair. She had been having the feeling of dirtiness for quite some time now, and was glad to finally get the salty smell off of her skin. She was also glad to have the freedom to take off her eye patch. The cool clean water soothed the everlasting sting it caused her from day to day.

Her clothing rested on the shore, and the forsaken amulet rested on her chest, still hanging from her neck. She still had yet to figure out what this little trinket was worth, but she figured she would in time. The thought of asking Jack about it crossed her mind now and then, but she shrugged them off. She trusted the pirate captain to a limit, but he was still a pirate. Though she doubted he was want a piece of junk like this thing. Looking up to the sky she couldn't help but marvel at the stars. It was strange, when she was at home she never really looked at them that much, but now everything just seemed so new. A sigh escaped her lips as she stood in the waste deep water under the moonlight, which turned out to be a bad idea. A sound came from behind her and she slowly turned her head scanning the shore around her. Again the sound of cracking twigs sounded and she quickly sunk back into the water and threw her arms over her chest when she saw what was making the noise.

"Charlie!!" Ryder's scream echoed through the forest, bringing Charlie stumbling down the small hill and onto the bank. He then jumped up and scrambled out of sight and into the dense woods. The girl made her way to the shore, fuming all the way. Grabbing the large cloth AnaMaria loaned her to dry off, Ryder pulled it around herself and stomped after the offending man, but not before securely slipping on her eye patch. Spotting him, she pulled a fairly large stick from the ground and thrust it at his running legs, tripping him immediately. 

"Jack!" she called to what seemed like the only man who treated her half decently, well besides Gibbs. Soon after the Captain came stumbling through the trees, one hand on the hilt of his sword and the other clamped onto a bottle of rum. He quickly looked around seeing what caused the girl to call, then his eyes landed on Charlie who was looking up at him with 'help me' eyes.

"Wha's the problem, love?" he questioned and looked back to her.

"He was…watchin' me!" she exclaimed pointing an accusing finger down at the nervous man. A smirk slowly made its way on Jacks lips as he looked from her to him, then back to her.

"Was he now?" Jack slurred in his usual tone with the smirk still plastered on his face.

"No I wasn't!" Charlie broke in standing from the ground. "I was jus' checkin' on 'er. She was gone a long time ye know." he lied, and Sparrow sighed.

"Ye never watch AnaMaria!" Ryder pointed out.

"Yeah, well…she'd hurt me…" Charlie hunkered down a bit.

"Ye want me ta hurt ya?!"

"Easy now, love." Jack said trying to sooth the savage beast which was Ryder then turned toward the other man.

"'ere's how it is lad. No one is it watch and or bother Miss Ryder while she is attending to 'er…" he paused, turned, and made hand gestures toward the young woman. "…feminine cleansing duties, savvy?" he finished and the younger man nodded and ran off back toward camp.

"Those are only the Captains special privileges." he added and smirked toward Ryder as she stalked toward him raising her hand. Fortunately Jack caught her hand just in time before it made contact with his face.

"Lucky me. Tha' would've been a hard one." he said and looked her up and down while still grasping her hand. "Lovely attire darling, ya really should wear it…or, not wear it more often." 

"Well thanks, I'm glad ye enjoy it." she said sarcastically and yanked her hand back. Jack only smiled and swayed off, rum still in hand. Before he could get to far, Ryder let her pride slip away and called after him.

"Jack, thanks for…telling' 'im…" she muttered in a quiet tone. The man took a swig from the bottle then gave her a smile.

"Don't mention it, love."


	5. Chapter Five

***Hello all. I don't really have anything to say right now, so I'm just gonna get to the story. By the way, thanks to those that reviewed.**

Chapter Five

_* After that night in the woods things grew a bit quiet between me and Jack. Don't get me wrong, we still talked but the arguing level decreased with every day that passed. Up until then me and the Captain had a conflict on a daily basis. It almost got to the point to where the crew could clock the fights. Then after that night it just all, stopped. Jack never insulted me and I never insulted him, and after a few days it started to make me uncomfortable. Without the arguments I felt even more vulnerable then before, and that, I didn't like at all. Jack had started letting me get off with skipping my 'maiding' duties and actually helped out with Nero a few times. If you think that was a bit out of character for the Captain, you should have been there when he offered me a cabin on the ship. I suppose the image of me sleeping on the cold deck all night finally got to him._

_Well, by this time I had been on board the Black Pearl for a bit over a month. The crew, including Gibbs, began to accept another female on the ship and I was no longer thought of as a bad luck charm. It was strange how no one really questioned me about my eye after all this time. It was good to know that unlike back at my hometown, no one cared about the way I looked. Thoughts like these made me think that maybe I was better off in this kind of crowd. That thought grew even more after a certain someone finally spotted what was under the patch…*_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The moon that hovered above the swift moving Black Pearl let loose a soft glow onto the deck giving light to the teenager who was currently bent over a bucket of water. The gentle sway of the ship made the placid water of the bucket shift back and forth, contorting Ryder's reflection even more so then it already was. The image that stared back at her brought a dark gleam to the girls eyes. Yes, eyes. Close by the leather eye patch rested safely leaving the previously hidden eyes free to gaze upon the world.

Thin and scarred fingers skimmed the top of the water over her reflection that seemed to be mocking her. Frowning she grumbled and splashed the water before scooping some into her hand and placing it over her black and white seeing eye. There she sat for a moment, letting the cool moisture flow into her eye unaware of the approaching figure.

"Ah, so this is where your hidin'. I thought you'd gone off and jumped overboard, love…" a slurred voice echoed from behind her and turned into curiosity when the speaker spotted the patch on the deck at his feet. This sudden intrusion sent Ryder into a panic causing her to jump up, sending the bucket toppling over the wood planks. The girls hands went flying to her face and quickly turned away. Jack stood there with a puzzled expression on his face. The only thing he had every gotten from Ryder whenever he snuck up on her was a sharp insult, but now…This new show of odd emotion from the young woman brought an almost worried gleam to the pirates eyes. Dark brown hues traveled down to the patch laying at his feet and he bent to pick it up, examining it at eye level. A calloused thump brushed over the smooth surface and his eyes darted back to Ryder who was holding one hand over her face and reaching the other out.

"Gimme that." her voice came out in a dried whisper opposing to her usual demanding tone. Her eyes were averted away from the Captain and followed along the trail of water that began running across the deck and passed her feet. With arm stretched she sent her plead again.

"Jack, give it." this time her voice was a bit louder, but Sparrow made no move to do what she said. "Give it here!" she yelled and thrust her arm out again. When the man stayed in his place Ryder quickly ran over and yanked the patch out of his hand, but before her eye was securely hidden behind the leather Jack grabbed onto her hand, prying the patch out. Grimacing, Ryder attempted to snatch her only free hand away without exposing the offending side of her face. 

"Let me go Jack." she deadpanned when her struggling came to a halt. Throughout all this the Captain had stayed silent, never taking his eyes off the panicking girl. In time, however, his curiosity was bound to take hold, and he placed the patch in his pocket before moving to take hold of her protecting hand and began pulling it away.

"Don't." she hissed and turned her face away. "Just…give me the patch." she finished with a whisper. Unfortunately, Jack proved to be more persistent then she expected, and she once again felt the gentle pull on her hand. A shaken sigh escaped her stiff lips as she let the man remove her hand, and her face melted into a grimace again when she felt him studying her injuries. The scar slashed over the middle of her eye, forming blood spots which were scattered all over the orb. Before the incident her eye was painted the same color as the other, an even blue, but now it was frosted a deathly pale sapphire. The black spot which inhabited the middle of her left eye let off an unearthly white sheen in her right. Silence had fallen over the deck once again while Jack took in the image in front of him. He had expected scarring, yes, but this wound looked as if it hadn't even healed yet. The scarring around her eye still had a sickening raw tint to it.

"What…what happened to you, darling?" Jack asked with a soft tone, his eyes still firmly locked on her eye. 

"Like you give a rat's tail what happen ta me! Gimme the patch back an' we'll go on wit' our lives. Is tha' alright with you?" her voice came out in its ordinary tone and snapped at Jacks listening ears. With her face scrunched up in a venomous glare, she looked as if she were ready to rip his throat out if he didn't return what was hers. "Now do ya mind givin' me patch back?"

Stubbornness gleamed in her good eye while her head was tilted as to hide the offending scars. Her tangled brown hair hung nearly to her shoulders now, a bit longer then it had been when they first started this trick. Sea water filled her pours and gave her that sea scent that nearly all sea going people owned. Her stance was different then it was the day Jack met the odd girl. Back then her body was always set in an awkward position which left her open for anything. Now, with all the days she had spent among pirates, she had adopted a more steady, confident stature. As Sparrow looked down on her he couldn't help but point out these minor changes in his mind. He had studied her as the days went by, but AnaMaria and Gibbs didn't let this go unnoticed. On more the one occasion he had been bombarded with questions about his 'relationship' with the girl.

All in all, she wasn't his type. Too snappy, too arrogant, too weak…though she'd shred him to pieces if he said that aloud. Though these things bothered him, nothing else ate at him like one huge gap. The gap between their ages. She was still a child in many peoples eyes and though he seemed young and spry, Jack Sparrow wasn't the young lad he used to be. This girl was seventeen, eighteen at the most, and though he had laid his eyes on Tortuga whores who were in their early ages such as her, he had never conversed with them like he had with Ryder. 

"Bloody 'ell!" said girl interrupted his thoughts and reached into his pocket boldly and pulled out her patch. Strapping it around her head and glaring at the man all the while, Ryder backed away from him tripping over the forgotten bucket and splashed down into the small puddle of water that had pooled around her. Letting out a small and pathetic whimper, she smacked her hand down in the liquid sending droplets of it up into her face. Sitting there in the puddle, she looked straight ahead with a sour look spreading over her face. This was not one of her best nights.

" 'avin a little difficulty are we, love?" Jack mumbled in good humor and crouched down in front of her, careful not to tip over in the water. "A bit jumpy over a tiny scratch ain't ya?" he finished with a small smirk. Tiny scratch. They both knew it was a huge understatement, but leave it to ol' Jack Sparrow to lighten the situation. 

Rolling her eye, Ryder couldn't hold back the small smile that forced its way up on her face. Usually she would have lashed back out at him with a snide comment or something, but at this moment she just didn't see the need. The girl was beginning to think of the Captain as almost a friend, opposite the constant fighting and bickering that went on in the previous times. She had to admit, the man was slowly but surely growing on her. Back home she would never had thought that any person such as Jack Sparrow would pull their way onto her good side, let alone gain a bit of friendship from her. At home she would be thinking about the towns young carpenter or suave aristocrat in this way…though she wasn't quiet sure what 'this way' was. She knew that Jack was not something she needed in her life. Now something she 'wanted' on the other hand…

"I'm gettin' ta bed." Ryder broke her own thoughts and shook her head while standing from the deck. In front of her Sparrow took to his feet as well, clasping his hands behind his back.

"Then g'night to ya, Ryder." he nodded and took a step forward beginning to brush past her. They had played this game before. Jack would send off his flirtatious manners her way then when all her moral standings flew out the window, he would give that smirk and walk off. This time was no different.

The Captain paused mid stride and looked over and down at her while they were shoulder to shoulder. His hands stayed safely behind his back and away from touching distance, and Ryder stood with her head tilted to one side and a bored but amused look on her face waiting for him to make his move then leave. But seconds passed, and no attempts at seducing words or even brief touches along her arm. His standing there just staring down at her unnerved her to the point of jerking her head toward him with a confused glare.

"Ya got somethin' ta do or say get it ova' with Sparrow." she grumbled and her eyebrow raised. Some wheels were turning in Jacks head, and she wasn't exactly sure if she wanted to know what idea they were pulling through them. A gleam shown behind is brown eyes and his upper lip perked up in a small smile. As his head leaned forward ever so slightly, Ryders eye widened. Was he doing what she thought he was doing? His closing in face told her that she had a chance of being correct. Rum held strong to his breath as he got nearer and it flowed over her own mouth in a steady stream. Closer and closer he came until the very edge of their top lips were touching in an almost teasing manner. This was it, Ryder was sure of it. He was gonna do it. Here it comes…

"Mop up this 'ere water before ya go in, won't ya, love?" Jack whispered huskily and pulled away swiftly, striding into his own quarters. 

Ryder was left with a blank look on her face and a partly opened mouth. God, did she hate that insufferable man.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Alright, so I admit that our so called 'relationship' is not picture perfect. In fact, its down right odd. We don't hate each other, we aren't really buddy buddy, but there is a certain…want there. Whether it be lust or just a need for companionship is beyond me, but that night led on some new developments in my…feelings for Jack Sparrow. He saw a literal side of me that few people had seen. He saw the scars, he saw the eye, and he saw me shy. Something new to him in most every aspect. The thing about it was that when he saw all these things, I saw something too. Worry. The Captain Jack Sparrow was worried about me. I know for a fact that he didn't plan on letting me know about this emotion, but it was there plain as day to me.

Well, enough about these feelings, let me get on with some action in this little story of mine. Lets all face it, we can't control the universe. Things that we don't want to happen are gonna happen, just like what happened about three days after the eye incident. The seas are rough at times, they usually get that way one time or another and I hadn't experienced the so called 'wrath' of mother nature. I'd seen thunder storms back at home, but I'd never seen a storm at sea. 

The days before had been sunny and clear, not a cloud in sight. Then before we knew it, dark clouds crawled their way over the horizon. That night would be yet another one of the times when I saved Jacks rum guzzling neck. Though at the time he wasn't that grateful, I think he preferred being saved by a woman then drowning in the sea he loves so much…*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirates life for meeee…." a sing song voice floated over the deck of the Black Pearl and up to the helm where Jack Sparrow stood manning his ship. Below, Ryder was perched on top of a barrel which was tipped back slightly leaving her leaning back against the main mast. With her heels thumping against the wood every now and then, she almost looked like a content little girl. Around her other members of the crew lay strewn about in laziness. Besides the bit of singing they were provided with and the moan of the ship on the waves, the air was silent.

Boredom claimed pirates more than they cared for. Miles of sea with no ships or land in sight caused them to do chores, but eventually the chores would run out and the crew would be left with nothing to do but sit around counting the number of times Gibbs farted in his sleep. 

AnaMaria laid outstretched near the railings with an arm thrown over her face to guard her eyes from the setting sun. Charlie was rolling his head from side to side as he dangled his legs off the upper level of the deck twiddling his thumbs in his lap. Gibbs was plopped down in a corner sound asleep with a bottle of rum still firmly clutched in his hand. A true drunk.

"We're devils, we're black sheep, we're really bad eggs. Drink up me hearties yo ho…" Ryder went on with the sea dogs song in a mumble and slid off the barrel with a groan. Plodding up the steps toward Jack, she leaned against the side of the ship and gave a loud sigh. The Captain just stared straight ahead with no change in his expression, so another, louder sigh came out of the young woman.

"Can I help you with somethin', love?" the black haired man drawled out tilting his head over her way.

"I'm booored…"

"Well, as you were singin'…a pirates life for me. Welcome to a pirates life." Jack replied and swung his right arm out gracefully to the side. "But not ta fear. In a few days we should be hittin' another town."

"A few days? Jaaack…" Ryder whined pathetically and slid down to sit on the deck.

"Now, now. I don't want ya returnin' back ta tha' irritating…teenage attitude. Find somethin' ta entertain yourself with."

"Fine…" she mumbled like a pouting child and stomped down the steps and through one of the heavy doors. Jack watched over the wheel as sounds of drawers being opened, things being turned over, and numerous objects being shifted around came from the room. Mr. Sparrow would have been that curious about it except for the fact that that was HIS cabin she was rummaging through.

"Uh, Ryder, love…would you be so kind as ta tell me what your doin' in me quarters?"

"Ya said to entertain myself" she said in a matter-of-fact voice, "So I'm entertainin' myself. Your rooms bound ta 'ave all sorts of lil' surprises."

"That's true, but some of those surprises are just MY surprises." he said and left his place at the helm and jogged toward his chambers. As he got to the door, Ryder appeared with the strange rock that Jack had dove down to recover all those weeks ago.

"Ya never told me wha' this was." Ryder held out the large stone out to him with both hands. For a minute Jack just looked at the rock then grabbed it and rolled it from one of his hands to another. Tossing it once in the air, he slammed the item down onto the hard wooden boards of the deck sending the sphere into two halves. They rolled around several times before coming to a halt and the last light from the sun brought a glare from the core of the shattered rock.

"Wha' the bleedin' 'ell is it?" she asked quietly and crouched down near the now glistening stone. Inside the rough exterior a clear and prism like crystal lay. Each half held the jagged material and different colors ran through the peaks as Ryder picked each piece up.

"In all honesty I don't actually know wha' its called. I've just picked 'em up around the coast several times." Jack shrugged and took of the sides from her hand. "They don't really bring much in the matter of loot, but their pretty nice ta look at, eh?" Ryder nodded and touched the clear rock with her figure tips before shaking her head with a small smile and looking up at Sparrow.

"Pity it's gotta be cased in this horrible stuff." she tapped the solid, brown rock on the bottom, "It's its only flaw."

"Oh no, love. I think it gives it character."

"Right. Well, the first thing anyone's gonna see is this ugly stuff. Jus' like this stupid piece of junk." Ryder retorted and sat the rock down before jerking at the amulet which still hung around her neck. "This thing wouldn't even catch a pickpockets eye."

"Now, now," Jack started and ran a finger over the bottom of her neck catching the chain of the necklace, then lifted it so the pendant was in his palm. "It has its…unappealing qualities to be sure. The stone is of course the centerpiece of the jewelry, which brings it firstly to attention. But the intricate designs around it make up for it, don't ya think, Ryder?" 

"Uh, yeah…" she hesitated the answer. As the Captain had spoken, he had inched closer and closer until he was plastered right up beside her, still looking at the necklace. Every now and then, however, she would see his chocolate eyes shift over to her then back. That of which made her a wee bit uneasy. 

"The coloration of the stone is leaves somethin' ta be desired, but the silver around it makes up for it. It has its flaws jus' like everything does, but once ya get used to it…its actually a very rare and beautiful piece."

Jack finished in a drawn out voice and let his eyes carry over to Ryder. Looking up at the pirate, the girl swallowed a lump that had somehow formed in her throat. Stupid man. In the way that he was looking at her, it almost made her want to believe he was talking about her instead of the necklace. Flirtatious Jack probably meant for her to feel that way. Once again, stupid man. In his hand, he still held the pendant half grasped. If Ryder didn't know better, she would say that he planned on keeping it. Opening her mouth to say something in name of these questions in her head, she was interrupted by Black Pearl taking a huge lunge to the left. 

The crew went flailing to the side, each grabbing anything they could get a hand on. Above them, clouds swirled ominously with the threat of deadly things to come. The ship was jarred back and forth in the ever growing power of the waves, and beside Ryder, Jack called out commands for the crew sending them scattering across the deck. Some crawled up the masts to secure the ropes tying down the black sails that were being torn about in the wind, others stashed numerous objects away in the hold so they wouldn't be tossed overboard in the up coming storm.

"Ryder, get below!" Jack ordered to her over the gust that swirled around them.

"Wha' happened ta me bein' part of the crew?" she protested and started following him up to the helm. The Captain turned abruptly after throwing open the door, and repeated in a more stern voice.

"Get below!" with that he grabbed her around the waist and threw her through the door and slammed the door, barring it from the outside. Ryder tumbled down the hard steps and down into the watered floor below. Seems Jack wasn't quiet up to fixing that leak. Pulling herself up, the girls attention then flew to the ranting horse which was tied up over in the empty storage area. Sloshing through the water, she tried to calm the horse with soothing words and calming pets, but to no avail. The ship lurched to the side once again bringing Ryder down to the floor of the haul with it. Her breath caught in her throat when Nero raised up then came back down, his monstrous hooves mere inches away from her head. 

Scrambling up, Ryder stumbled across the floor and up the stairs. She couldn't stay down here unless she wanted to be either knocked unconscious on the walls on the ship or killed by Nero's flailing hooves. Throwing herself against the heavy oak door several times, the small girl stepped back giving a heavy sigh. Outside she could hear the yells of the crew and the howling of the wind. 

The door in front of her creaked and groan in some sort of protest. Tilting her head away, the girl slowly started backing down the stairs when she should have ran. The door burst open bringing with it a wave of salt water that caught Ryder mid step and brought her splashing down. As the water pulled back out onto the deck it carried the teen girl with it, leaving her stranded on the drenched deck.

Rain poured in heavy sheets down on the Pearl, and thunder and lightening cracked around them. The canvas sails snapped above as members of the crew tried desperately to tie them down. Looking up, Ryder spotted AnaMaria as one of the overseers of the sails. If the ship were to jerk suddenly one way or another, the woman would be lost in the sea. Oh, the life of a pirate.

"The sails are secure, Cap'n!" Gibbs yelled the announcement from the deck up to the helm.

"Well done mates! Now hold on and pray ta any god ya know of!" Jack called out, doing his best to keep the ship in line on the rough waters. Waves rose beside the ship and seemed to pause, thinking about whether or not to pummel the craft. Even with all the noise, Ryder could still make out the loud thrashing of Nero down in the hold. Looking toward the wide open door, she hoped that the reigns were tight enough to hold him in his place. 

Trying to stand up evenly, the girl grabbed onto the mast to steady herself, wiping away her soaked hair that had begun to cling to her face. Glancing up to the helm, Ryder had to narrow her eyes to see Jack through the curtain of water. It was hard to see how he could keep his bearings in the middle of the ocean, let alone in the middle of a storm such as this. However, her eyes were torn away from the Captain when a scream sounded a warning. 

A large wave was powering forward toward the Black Pearl, and slammed into her side. Everything jolted with the hit and the deck was once again covered with water. Once the girl got her vision back, she looked back up to the wheel and her eye widened when the Captain was no where to be seen. Shooting her gaze around the deck, Ryder scampered up when the rum loving man never appeared. 

"Jack?!" her voice was nearly lost in the sound of the storm, but it reached some of the other crew, who immediately realized the loss of their Captain. "Jack!" Pulling herself up to the helm, she looked over the edge of the ship cautiously. There was no Jack Sparrow in sight on or off the ship, and without him to steer the lumbering thing it twirled to the right with the wind and was hit with yet another wave. Unfortunately for Ryder, this wave came from the left side.

The next thing she knew, she was meeting the black waters of the Atlantic. Its cold temperatures bit into her then dragged her under the choppy surface. The girl struggled against the strong currants, but her clothing was caught in the sway of the water and pulled her down. 

It was so cold. And as her energy slowly began to slip away, so did the last restores of warmth her body had left. She was letting go…she was dieing. It happened so fast, but she knew it was true. She suddenly say the light that so many people talked about that would greet you when your time finally came. She felt a sudden warmth as the darkness faded, and she felt safe. But when she looked up and expected to see more of the heavenly light and saw only the bottom of the Black Pearl, she knew that her feeling of death was illusion. Then where was the light coming from? The warmth? The pendant. 

In front of her, the hideous necklace that that creepy old woman had placed in her care all those days ago as emitting a bright, warm light. The ugly stone in the center seemed as if it had disappeared completely, being replaced by the source of the glow that illuminated the waters around her. However, the comforting glow could not help the fact that she was slowly running out of air. Pushing herself upward with her hands and kicking feet, Ryder finally broke the surface and took in a gulp of fresh air. That was all fate would allow though.

Once again she was brought back under the waves where the necklace still lit her way. At least the thing proved to be good for something, though the girl still wasn't sure what exactly it was doing. Its soul purpose couldn't just be a night light, could it? Though her thoughts were keeping her mind off slowly dieing, they were cut short by the small amount of movement on the border of the light. Jack.

Grabbing a hand full of his coat, Ryder tried desperately to pull Sparrow up out of the non oxygen environment. The surface seemed so close and yet so far away. She could just see the breaking of the waves and the tilting of the Pearl in the ocean. It all seemed out of reach, and when she felt Jack slowly slipping out of her grip she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and rested her head on his back. She was giving up again. She felt the pull that death was giving both her and Jack. The still glowing amulet couldn't save her. She was so tired, so worn out. So alone…

Ryder had never prayed before in her life. She never felt the need to. Except for now. Both her free and covered up eye burned from the contact of salt water, but her eyes remained focused on the welcoming light of the pendant. She wasn't sure how to pray, wasn't sure what to say or how to say it. So, she breathed out the only thing that came to mind, the thing that she wanted to scream at the top of her lungs. She couldn't scream it, or even really speak it, but it came out in a muffle of bubbles.

"Help me…"

With those words, something hit her like the vibrations of a fired cannon. It shook the water, tore the huge waves into tiny droplets of water, and halted the strong gusts of wind. The light grew stronger, and the warmth more intense. The necklaces' pendant twirled as if it where caught in a whirlwind. On the silver twists that framed the stone, the two sharp points that protruded from the sides of it began to make a line around itself as it spun faster and faster until it was just a swirling ball of light on a chain. Suddenly the tightening of Ryder's lungs didn't seem as painful as it did before and she found herself reaching through the water toward the sphere. The light blue line that the points created were cool to the touch, even cooler than the water. As her fingers reached the inner light and felt the warmth again, the spinning stopped.

When the pendant stopped, everything else did too. The currant of the water, the waves up top, and the sound of the rain pounding down on the surface. Bubbles in the middle of the liquid were hanging in mid rise. Moving her hand around, Ryder found that when the water parted, none came to fill the space up again. It just was a hole in the middle of the water. If that was true then…Placing her mouth on one of the bubbles she inhaled. Ah, fresh air. Not for Jack though.

Coming to that realization, she took for the surface dragging Sparrow along with her. Getting above the water she immediately began swimming for the ship not giving any thought to the freeze framed image of a wave about to careen into the Pearl. Some how or another, Ryder's small frame managed to get Jack and herself up onto the deck.

"Jack! Jack…come to life, come to life!" she chanted and shook the Captain while he laid unconscious. His face was pale, lifeless. He couldn't be dead…he was Captain Jack Sparrow! Pushing down on his chest a few odd times she put her hand over his mouth to check if he was breathing. No luck. At the moment she wished that the other members of the crew were able to help her instead of just being inanimate. Beggars can't be choosers. 

"Wha' do I do, wha' do I do?" Ryder was on the verge of panicking. No, no, stay calm. What was that thing that people do when people aren't breathing? Oh no. 

Looking down at Jacks dead fish face, she cringed. She'd heard of people doing it, and she knew the basics of it…but it was a matter of wanting to do it. He had permanent rum breath, and he was practically dead. Dead. That was it, vanity could wait for later. She didn't want Jack to die. Not yet anyway. So, pinching his nose and opening his mouth, Ryder leaned down and placed hers on his. She could just imagine the kinds of things she would hear if any of the crew were really, up and about.

Inhaling deeply, she blew two or three breaths into Jacks mouth then leaned back up and pushed on his chest again. Nothing. Repeat. Nothing. Repeat. Nothing. Repeat.

"C'mon, breath, damn you!" she yelled and hit him in the chest again, a bit hard in aggravation. Forget third time, fourth time was a charm this day. Sparrow sputtered and coughed up enough water to spray Ryder with. The girls face twisted into a grossed expression, but it changed back to relief when Jack finally stopped his wheezing and leaned back onto the deck, his eyes lazy with exhaustion. 

"Ryder?" his rough voice strangled out as his eyes finally focused on his rescuer. " 's tha' you, love?"

"Yer okay! Don't ya ever do tha' again…" she exclaimed without thinking and pulled him up in a hug. It wasn't until she felt him return the tight hug, that she realized what she was doing. "I mean…Don't ya ever do tha' again, ya bastard! I could'a died out there savin' your bloody arse!" 

With that she dropped him like a rock and stood from her crouching position. Crossing her arms over her chest, she leaned up against the wheel feeling confident that it would stay stationary like everything else. She was right…until the still glowing amulet clunked against the hard wood. It spun to the side steering the ship to the side along with it. Ryder just stood there in a slightly uncomfortable position against the wheel. Jack looked up at her with widened eyes as he looked around then to the medallion. 

Standing, he looked over the water alongside the girl as the Black Pearl parted the still unmoving waters leaving the crew members scrambled around the deck blowing motionless in the wind. Brown eyes stared at the one eyed girl with an emotion Captain Jack Sparrow rarely showed. Confusion. Toying with the pendant in her hand, she looked back at him with just as unsure.

"Um…I can explain?"

***Well, there's the fifth chapter. I don't know if they had CPR back then or not, I'm guessing not, but I didn't know what else to put for it. Um, I dunno what else to say so…REVIEW!!!!**


	6. Chapter Six

**Well hello everyone. I'm back, obviously, with a new chapter. All in all, I don't really have much to say up here except for thanking all who reviewed. It keeps me goin'. Now, on with the story and after your done be sure to REVIEW!!!!!**

Chapter Six

_ Your back are you? Alright then, where was I? Oh, yeah. Well, that pendant had finally proved to be of some use. I wasn't sure exactly what it was doing or what made it do it, but I decided then that I would never call it a worthless piece of junk again. It was if time stood still as we sailed through the maze of frozen waves and sheets of rain. Jack entertained himself for a couple of minutes by testing the paralyzed-ness of the crew members. Nearly two times he had to pull Gibbs out of the water after he 'accidentally' tumbled over. All the while the chubby man stayed in the same position he was in when the amulet took affect.  
  
The wind didn't blow, the clouds didn't roll over, and the sun didn't rise for quite some time. Luckily, we came across Jacks beloved tricornered hat sitting motionless on the top of the gel like water. He thanked me for spotting it, but he didn't really speak much about me saving his life. That man has got to get his priorities in order.  
  
In time, and purely by luck, we figured out how to get the crew mobile again. I think it was when Sparrow tried to throw me over board and I grabbed onto Mr. Cotton who was clinging onto the railing. The necklace tapped against him just once, real soft like, and all of a sudden him and his bird were up and walking and talking…well, the bird was talking at least. Though I tried to convince Jack to let me toss Charlie overboard with sweet talks and batting eyelashes, he didn't give in and I was forced to bring him back to the moving world with everyone else. It took a lot of explaining once everyone realized the new condition of the ocean. But once that was over and done with, Jack paid me back for saving his arse. He did something that he rarely let anyone do while he was on board. I don't know what got into him, but even AnaMaria looked at him like he was crazy. Captain Jack Sparrow let me steer the Black Pearl…_

_

* * *

_   
  
It was an odd sight. A girl who could barely look over the wheel was manning the helm of the fastest ship in the Caribbean. Steering past the waves, she hummed to herself contently and bobbed her head back and forth. On her head sat the tricorn hat that so often was perched on Jack Sparrow. Mentioning, the pirate was acting as one of the crew, cleaning up the debris that the storm left behind. Ropes needed to be replaced, broken up planks needed nailed down, and doors needed to be reattached. Wrapping a rope around his arm, Gibbs looked over at Jack who was currently doing the same.  
  
"Jack."  
  
"Yes Gibbs?"   
  
"You've gone mad."  
  
"Have I now?" Sparrow stopped with the rope and looked toward his first mate with an amused look.  
  
"Lettin' that lass man the helm of the Pearl." the other man shook his head, "She ain't fit ta be gettin' this involved with the pirate life, Jack. A girl like that don't need ta be to comfy on a ship."  
  
"Ah, but ya have no problem havin' AnaMaria aboard." the Captain retorted and looked at the heavier man long and hard.  
  
"Well…" Gibbs shook his head a bit. He didn't want the Cap'n getting too defensive over this matter, but he along with AnaMaria agreed that something needed to be said. "She's not AnaMaria. Look at her, Jack. She's a kid."  
  
"If I'm not mistaken, Will Turner wasn't much older then she was when he was with the crew." Jack said and continued with the ropes, averting his eyes from Gibbs and glancing over toward the teenager.  
  
"Yeah, Cap'n, but Will was a…"  
  
"A lad?" the brown haired mans voice came our harsher then he expected. Why was he getting so irritated at his first mate, his friend, over a slight disagreement over a girl?  
  
"Its not jus' that. She's…"  
  
"She's too soft." AnaMaria broke in, "She's not made for the sea."  
  
"She's been doin' jus' fine as of late in my opinion. If she hadn't been here, most of us probably wouldn't be either." Sparrow argued back.  
  
"With all possible respect toward 'er, it wasn't truly the lass tha' did the savin, Cap'n. It was tha' necklace of hers." the pig scented man jerked his head toward Ryder who was still oblivious to this talk about her, and the defense Jack was showing.  
  
"Tha' necklace of hers couldn't have pulled me outta the sea now could it, Mr. Gibbs?" at this remark, the first mate put his hands up in a defeated manner and walked on to finish what had to be done. AnaMaria on the other hand, stood there glaring at Jack Sparrow.  
  
"Don't look at me like tha' AnaMaria." the Captain grumbled, "She's only gonna be with us until we reach Port Royal then she'll be out of our hair. No worries, darling." he finished in a sickening sweet tone.  
  
"Your sure?"  
  
"Sure of what?"  
  
"Your sure tha' you even want her outta yer hair, Jack? Look at me and tell me tha' once she's off this ship, ya won't go gallivantin' after 'er later on." the dark skinned woman whispered harshly and looked Sparrow straight in the eye. Her tone was fill of different emotions. Some anger toward Jack for something that he couldn't register at the moment, a tad bit of jealousy, and possibly some worry. Worry that Jack was betting was for Ryder.  
  
"I'm sure. We drop her off in Port Royal and we'll never 'ave ta bother with 'er again." he assured in a hushed tone and a small smile. The woman gave him one last look before glancing up toward the still content girl with a sigh. A person like Ryder didn't need to be another woman hanging off the arm of Captain Jack Sparrow.  
  
"Good." with that, AnaMaria turned and went off to work leaving Jack on his own. Sighing to himself, the Captain turned his gaze up to the girl who was still steering his glorious ship and wearing his favorite and only hat. His boots clomped over the deck as he walked across the ship toward the teen girl. Jack couldn't fight the grin that creased over his face at the sight of her. With the eye patch and that hat, she did look like she could pass for a pirate. But Gibbs and AnaMaria were right. Ryder wasn't made for this kind of life, that didn't mean she couldn't look the part though.  
  
"Lookin' good up there, love." he announced as he climbed the steps up to the helm.  
  
"Ya think? I'm takin' a likin' to the hat myself." Ryder said and sent the man a crooked smile. Looking back over the sea, the girl then moved her eye down to the still glowing amulet. They had long since passed the storm and left it as motionless as the rest of the ocean remained. Ryder was getting a little concerned at these developments. And also a bit annoyed. Above them, seagulls were halted in mid air a sure sign of land, but what was the point of getting to that land if everyone was freeze framed? Well, they could steal all the towns goods and everything else that caught their eye, but it would be too easy and boring.  
  
"Tha's it. This is gettin' old." she stated aloud, "I need movement, I need sound! It's too damn quiet!" the girl exclaimed and threw one hand in the air, keeping the other trained on the wheel.  
  
"Well, is there a way ta turn this thing off somehow?" Jack added in and took the pendant in his hand.  
  
"Jack, if I knew that why would I be complainin' instead of fixin' it?"   
  
"A man can never tell with you, Ryder." Sparrow gave that smirk earning himself a rolled eye from the young woman.  
  
"Oh, ha, ha, ha." she laughed sarcastically and tilted her head over toward a passing stationary ship a few hundred yards away. Clenching her teeth in agitation she groaned to herself. "I jus' want all this ta STOP!" Ryder practically yelled as her face twisted in anger. At that moment, the air was sucked from the lungs of every member of the crew. With that a huge 'womph' sound rushed over them and in an instant everything flowed to life. The Black Pearl sank down a bit with the liquidation of the water below her and the birds flapped on across the sky, dropping a little present off on Gibbs's head.

* * *

_ Ah, yes. Now we come to the point in this little tale where things really started getting twisted around in my mind. And it wasn't just because of my first experience at being drunk either. This potentially harmless little town we stopped at and the little tavern in which I acted extremely foolish and down right stupid, turned out to be a sharp left turn in my fate. As it turns out, I wasn't the only one that was interested in the powers of the amulet I was carrying. And, I wasn't the only one that realized it could be a very handy tool or a very dangerous item in certain hands.   
  
Those hands were close, and all to ready and eager to strangle the life out of me for my tastes. I knew that I was traveling with pirates and that I had to be careful, especially around Charlie, but in the end I realized I wasn't near careful enough. I suppose that I wasn't the only one on the ship that wasn't as cautious as they should be. It was that night that the man that's probably tracking me down as I speak made his entrance. I would like to think Jack didn't really know what he was getting me into when he talked to this man, but I just don't know anymore. It was still dark when we reached the pub, and I was growing fairly bored of the constant night. To all else everything was normal, but thanks to the amulet us aboard the Black Pearl had gotten way too many hours of darkness. That fact and the first taste of rum on my tongue signaled that I would probably be out before I wanted to be. And that night, being asleep was the last thing I wanted…_

* * *

"Ya know, once ya get the taste for rum…it ain't to bad!" Ryder announced after taking another large gulp from her mug. Across the table, Jack had a big smile plastered on his face. Nearly six mugs. Six mugs for her to get sloppy. He didn't know where the hell she got it, but this girl could hold her liquor quite well. Lifting his own rum to his mouth, he emptied it in one swig and slammed it down on the table with a satisfied look on his face. Around them people fought, whores offered, and the rest of the crew drank to their hearts content. The Captains brown eyes scanned the crowd over and over in a repetitive fashion.  
  
"Lookin' fer someone?" the girl slurred and rested her cheek in the palm of her hand staring over at him.  
  
"Course not. Why would I be lookin' for anyone else while your 'ere, love?" Jack sweet talked bringing about rolled eyes and a small giggle from Ryder. Being drunk really brought out the more flirtatious side of the girl. Not that he minded the more welcoming attitude as opposed to her usually sharp remarks toward him. Nonetheless, he knew she would punch herself in the morning if she knew how she was acting.  
  
"Oh Jack Sparrow, ya say tha' ta all the girls." she smiled goofily and tilted her head. Said Captain had to hold back a laugh. A cute drunk…at least she wasn't a violent one like his old woman, Scarlet, used to be. He could still feel the sting of the slaps she gave him when she had drank too much. Resting his hands on the rather filthy table, Jack looked over at the young woman who was now taking another drink from her mug with and was leaning back relaxed in her chair. At that angle, the pirate got a good look at the pendant dangling from her neck. Could he trust this man? This man that he was suppose to meet? Wait, Captain Jack Sparrow, doubting himself? No, of course not.  
  
But when Ryder leaned back up with a big grin, he felt a sharp stab of something. Guilt? Was he beginning to feel guilty that he was liquoring this girl up just so he could get something that he wanted? Nothing would happen to her though, and that necklace was just proving to be a nuisance to her, so wouldn't she be glad if it was gone? He had a feeling that she would mind just to spite him, but that wasn't the main thing playing on his mind at the moment. Did Jack really trust these people to only take the necklace and not…  
  
"Hey, Jack," the teen mumbled and leaned over the table toward him a bit uncoordinatedly, "I think ya got yerself an admirer or two." with that she pointed with a lazy finger over toward the other side of the tavern to a table occupied by more then two sharp looking men. Their clothing was clean but didn't have the appearance of a high class lawyer. If anything they looked like high class pirates or something along those lines. Jack stared over at them for a few moments before nodding his head over towards the door at the back wall that led to the back rooms. They all nodded in response and stood in unison before sliding back through the door.  
  
"Eww, they give me the creeps." Ryder whispered and gave a little shiver for emphasis. Sparrow looked from the door then back to the one eyed girl with a smile.  
  
"Come 'ere, darling." he motioned her over with a few flicks of his hand. The girl nodded and pushed herself up out of her chair and shuffled over to him. Unfortunately for her ego, but fortunate for Jack, her feet fumbled below her and she fell onto the Captains lap leaving her laughing up a fit with her head on his shoulder. The man flashed a golden smile and pulled her up just enough so that he could look her in the eye.  
  
"Ryder, I need you ta go on outside and wait for me. Ol' Jacks got some business tha' needs ta be taken care of." he explained softly to the drunken girl, all the while trying to ignore the warning glare he was receiving from AnaMaria. A glare that clearly told the pirate that she was not happy with his 'business'.  
  
"Why do I gotta go back?" she pouted, "Don't ya like my company anymore?"  
  
"No, no, of course I like your company. Its jus' tha' I don't think you…" Jack started then looked toward the door where one of the men was leaning against the frame staring at him and the young girl, "you don't need ta be 'ere durin' this go around. Alright, love?"  
  
"Alright, Cap'n." Ryder agreed and gave a disappointed salute before pulling herself up off of the Captain. She toppled and swayed from side to side when she was upright causing Jack to stand with her. Resting his hands on one of her arms and the other at her waist, he balanced her before pushing her lightly off toward the female crew member.  
  
"AnaMaria'll take ya on out." he whispered close to her ear. As he was watching the teenager swagger out the door with the older woman holding her steady, Jack winced a bit. Guilty. He was feeling pretty guilty at that moment.  
  
Shaking it off, Sparrow sauntered toward the door at a deliberately slow pace. The man leaning was a good foot or so taller then the Captain, which made him well over six feet. As this still unnamed man disappeared into the back room Jack followed, his eyes calm as they always were but inside his mind was reeling.  
  
"Jack Sparrow." a voice suddenly spoke out in an unkindly tone.  
  
"Tha's Captain Jack Sparrow." said man automatically corrected and walked farther into the room where a table was sat by the wall, dimly lit by a few candles and a kerosene lamp. There were two chairs at the table, and one was occupied by a thin gangly man. A coat made of fine cloth covered his top while his legs were dressed in black knickers and spotless white leggings. His non-wig hair was a deep red tone that matched the bits of unshaved whiskers that ran along his jaw, chine and upper lip in a five o'clock shadow. He was young, probably in his late twenties but his clothing showed that he had already accumulated wealth in his illegal dealings.  
  
"Captain," the mans smooth voice corrected, "Come, sit. I understand you have a deal for me."  
  
"Vincent Bolomeir." Jack announced the other mans name with an almost bitter smile as he took the opposite seat. "Pity ya couldn't have come up with more…enlightened surroundings." he finished and gestured around the dim room with one hand while he slide back comfortably in his chair.  
  
"Dark places for dark dealings, Captain Sparrow." Vincent sneered and gave a sinful grin that Jack almost rolled his eyes at. He was really trying to soak up the 'evil villain' role. "Now, about this necklace I've been hearing so much about…"  
  
"Yeah, well, ya see mate…" with that Jack Sparrow told the tale of the amulet and what Ryder told him about its origins. He went on about its hideousness and all the way down to the storm incident and how time seemed to stand still. All the while, this Mr. Bolomeir's eyes lit up with greed and eventually came to narrow in delight.   
  
"That is fascinating isn't it Captain? What do you think, Mr. Clemens? Mr. Dilequiet?" Vincent turned his head back to the two other men lounging in chairs behind him, both of which gave a small chuckle and a nod. Turning his attention back, the younger man raised a brow at Jack. "And what do you want from giving us this most remarkable item. Surely you do not mean to let it slip away for free?"  
  
"Course not, lad. In exchange for the jewelry, I want a raise in my position."  
  
"A raise in your position?" Bolomeir questioned.  
  
"Set me up with the startin's of me own fleet and boost me up to the name Commodore, an' that amulet is all yours." he explained and leaned far back in his chair until the wood creaked in protest.  
  
"You want me to find you some ships in a matter of two days?"  
  
"Can't do it?" Jack asked with a grin. Actually, he probably wouldn't be that saddened if the man passed up the deal.  
  
"I'm Duke Vincent Bolomeir, Captain. You'll get your ships before the sun rises high tomorrow, I give you my word. Now, could you give me the location of the Pearls resting place so that I might deliver the vessels directly to you?"  
  
"There's no need for that…Duke. Jus' leave the ships in the bay and I'll 'ave my people pick them up for me. Ya don't need ta go through all tha' trouble." Jack proposed and stood from his chair slowly.  
  
"Smart man, smart man. Now, where's the girl? She has the amulet right?" Vincent went on, asking about Ryder's location a little bit to quickly for Jacks likings.  
  
"I sent 'er outside with Ana." the Captain said cautiously, and before he knew it Bolomeir gestured back to one of the other men who swiftly started for the door.  
  
"I'll get it from 'er. She's already drunk, she doesn't need ol' beefy 'ere ta scare her half ta death." the hat topped man interrupted Mr. Clemens's walking and brought him to look back at his boss.   
  
"I'm just thinking for the girl, and for you Captain. She's drunk, but she will remember the persons face that takes the necklace, most likely. Do you truly want it to be her dear lovers face that she remembers stealing form her?" Bolomeir tried to convince.  
  
"She's not my lover, Bolomeir." Jack shot back instantly causing the other mans eyes to widen with partial amusement. "I jus' don't think I trust your…other halves with 'er."  
  
"Jack, Jack, Jack. My men are gentlemen. They won't touch a hair on her head. We only want the amulet." Vincent said and clasped his hands in front of him. Looking back and forth between the two men, Sparrow blinked his eyes heavily. He did have his share of rum tonight which was probably a mistake. "I'll tell you what. Mr. Clemens will leave all his weaponry here, won't you Clemens?"  
  
The tall, brawny man grunted and nodded before unloading his pistols, swords and daggers from his person. As they clattered to the table, Jack stared at Vincent with suspicious eyes. AnaMaria was with her, and some of the crew were wondering about outside as well. He knew for certain that Charlie was never far from the two females and would be there for assistance. The young man may have been a letch, but he wouldn't let something happen to one of his crew members. Especially a woman. When Clemens was out of weapons, he was dismissed by Vincent, but not before Jack interrupted again. Bringing his cutlass from its place on his belt in one swift movement, the Captain raised it to Bolomeirs throat.  
  
"The girl is left untouched and unharmed, or else your gonna be havin' some hard times ahead of ya. Savvy?" he warned in an almost venomous tone that the collected pirate hardly ever showed.  
  
"Of course, Captain." Vincent choked out and nodded over toward Clemens who then disappeared out the door. Dilequiet, Bolomeir, and Sparrow were left in the room which was almost filling to the brim with tension. Bolomeir knew that if Jack wanted to finish him right there, he could. And Dilequiet knew that if he tried to interject, his boss would be killed faster. So, the three men all sat down quietly and Jack laid his weapon on the table in easy reach. If he heard anything out there from any of his crew members about Ryder and such…  
  
"Now, Jack, join me for a drink?" the red haired man raised his mug up, spilling a bit of the alcoholic liquid onto the table top. The Captain grabbed his own mug that was waiting for him nearby and raised it up to the Dukes. The metal of the glasses clattered and Vincent raised his up to take a long hearty drink, while Jack hesitated. Glancing back over his shoulder at the closed door, he let out a deep sigh. Everything would be alright. Its just one man, and the whole crew was out there to look after their own. Nothing to worry about…That was Jacks final thought before he turned back and downed his fifth mug of rum.  
  
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::  
  
The morning light poured through the half open curtains in the rented bedroom above the tavern. Dust drifted through the air through the stream of light that came to rest on the dirty wood floor. The sound of hard breathing echoed through the room and originated from the messed bed with a sleeping lump under all the covers. A limp arm hung from the side adorned with tattoos, one of which was a sparrow. A loud bang on the door brought about a jump from the sleeping man. Leaning up on one arm, he turned his tired face to the door.  
  
"What?" Jacks rough sleep filled voice rang out.  
  
"Its Gibbs." the other mans voice answered.  
  
"Wha' do ya want, Gibbs?" the Captain droned out before collapsing back on the bed with a loud creak.  
  
"Is AnaMaria and Ryder in there wit' ya, Cap'n?" this question twisted Jacks face. Shaking his head, the man rolled off the bed and went for the door scratching his bare abdomen.  
  
"Excuse me?" opening the door, Sparrow leaned against the frame by his arm and rubbed his eyes a bit.  
  
"Ya heard me, are those lasses in there with ya or no?" the fat man glanced around seemingly uncomfortable then glanced back to the younger man with a smirk.  
  
"Well…" Jack started, looking back over his shoulder at the empty bed, "If they were 'ere they've gone off and left already. Though I highly doubt I would 'ave forgotten a night like that, mate." he finished off with his own smirk.  
  
"Then we got a tad bit of a problem, Jack. We can't find 'em. Either one of 'em."  
  
"What?" the pirates smirk instantly vanished and was replaced by a stern look. "Did ya looked in all the rooms?"  
  
"Yeah. Charlie was gonna 'wake 'em up' this mornin'. They weren't in the rooms we got fer 'em. They could've gone back ta the ship though, Cap'n, we're probably jus' over reactin'."  
  
That said, Jack backed into the room, pulling up his falling down pants, and quickly threw on a shirt and his boots. Making sure his pistol and cutlass were in place, he snatched his hat and took off out of the room and down the stairs leaving some of his other spare items behind. At the bar, some of the crew members were getting an early start on their drinking.  
  
"Mr. Cotton! Eh…Mr. Cottons parrot…Did you see AnaMaria and Ryder outside last night?" Jack asked the mute, coming to a skidding halt by the sitting man. Cotton nodded, and the parrot chanted 'wind in the sails'.  
  
"Did they go back ta the Pearl?" again, a nod and a chant. Sparrow nodded back and headed for the door, but not before another crew member interrupted him.  
  
"Jack, come 'ere." the small man requested in a screaming whisper. Jogging back over to the bar, the taller man looked down at the dwarf. "I only saw Ryder goin' on through the forest," he looked around almost paranoid like, "AnaMaria wasn't with 'er the second time I looked. A big guy was with 'er, I dunno who." the bald one shrugged and looked toward the back door that Jack had gone through the night before. Following the other mans eyes, the Captain nodded.  
  
"Thanks, mate." Jack tapped the bar before turning back for the door. "Gibbs! Get the crew up there tagether and go down to the bay! You dogs down 'ere, you come ta the Black Pearl wit' me!" this made the bar goers groan at the news that they wouldn't be able to finish their drinks. "NOW!"  
  
The loud voice of the Captain jostled them to life and then men ran out the door following Jack. The streets were still fairly deserted in the early morning hours, but the noise from the pirates made up for the lack of citizens. They ran through the streets with clomping boots and threatening words. As they turned the corner of the last building, Cotton stopped abruptly causing several of the other men to ram into the back of him. Up ahead, Jack paused as well and looked back.  
  
"Problem, Mr. Cotton?" the man didn't give an answer, but he did part some of the bushes that lined the back of the building. There, hidden between the greenery, AnaMaria lay unconscious. Making his way back, Sparrow squeezed between the leaves and twigs to kneel down next to his fallen crew member. She was alive, but blood ran down her head and neck to stain the collar of her shirt. Bruises started to show on her darkened skin, but lucky for her the offender did nothing else to her in her vulnerable state.  
  
"Somebody get her inside. Everyone else…" he motioned with his hand toward the edge of the forest that surrounded the town. They twisted and turned through the trees and other kinds of fauna, Jack Sparrow leading the way up front. He knew he should have known better then to trust that little Duke! Who knows what that low life and his ratty crew could have done to Ryder during her drunkenness. Just the thought of it made Jack angry. He could hear the surf of the cove that they stored the Pearl in now. They were close, very close. Sparrow didn't even stop to think that they could have taken his beloved Black Pearl as their own…he was only worried that they took Ryder as their own.  
  
"Look Cap'n!" the short bald man yelled out as they ran up on the beach. There wading through the shallows, Nero was limping back and forth, his ears back in frustration and his attention toward the Pearl. The pack of men sloshed into the water about as far as the horse was, and raised their hands over their eyes so as they could look toward the ship without the troublesome sun. Anchors were pulled up, and strange men were scurrying back and forth across the deck. Looking over the sand, Jack searched for any sign of the small boats they took to shore. The only thing he found were the remains of battered up wood and splintered oars.   
  
"Ahoy there, Jack Sparrow!" a voice called out humorously from the ship. "Lovely of you to see us off!" Vincent stood at the side of the ship with his arms spread wide with pride. Jacks fists clenched and his jaw tightened.   
  
"Don't fret though my friend. Your makings of a fleet are waiting in the bay just as I promised. Who said two ships wasn't something to be proud of?" Bolomeir went on with a chuckle from his crew. Jacks crew yelled out angry screams and warnings behind him, while the tricorn hat man stared ahead quietly like a big cat ready to pounce.   
  
"Where's Ryder?" he finally called out in a dangerously even voice. This request alighted more laughter from the Pearl, which made the rightful crew sneer.   
  
"Oh, yes. The girl. How could I forgotten?" Vincent gestured to his side where Clemens backed out of an open door dragging a sleeping Ryder with him. At the sight, it took nearly all of the Captains will power not to swim over and chop the grinning head off of all the amused men. Not that he would make it to the Pearl in time, however. As they yelled back and forth, the ship started turning toward the open sea.  
  
"Don't worry about her though. We wouldn't take advantage of her. I need her to tell me how that magnificent necklace of hers works. When she's done that then…who am I to tell the future?" Bolomeir shrugged and gave a wicked laugh that was followed close by the other men. Clemens took hold of Ryder's hand and waved it to Jack as the Black Pearl turned fully toward the ocean. Vincent sent a mimic wave and a girly voice. "Ta-ta, my love!"  
  
"Ryder!" Jack yelled in the mists of his crews screaming. Screaming, laughing, threatening. At all this, the girl in the arms of the burly man popped her eyes open and looked around. The Black Pearl. She knew she was aboard the Pearl, but who were these people? And why was she in someone's arms? What the hell happened last night? Shaking her head, she moved her gaze around the deck of the ship and her almost calm demeanor switched to panic when she didn't see Jack Sparrow, Gibbs, Cotton, AnaMaria, or anyone she knew for that matter. Jerking her head to her right, she could barely make out figures running along the shore as if they were trying to catch up with the Pearl. She spotted a short man, one with frizzy hair, and several others that looked familiar. At the head of the line she saw the one person that knew should be on the ship.  
  
"Jack!" Ryder screamed at the top of her lungs. Her voice carried across the waves and into the ears of the wanted man, but there was nothing he could do to his dismay. Jack almost wished she would have stayed asleep so she would have to be awake for anything they would put her through.  
  
"I'll get ya back Ryder! I swear!" Sparrow yelled back in an attempt to give her some hope. This only caused the strange men that held the girl captive to laugh again. Ryder's eyes stayed on Jack until he was a mere dot on the white beach. A bitter laugh escaped this throat when the Captain lost sight of her. The Black Pearl. The fastest ship in the Caribbean. He didn't know where they were going or how he could catch them. All he or anyone could do was stand dumbfounded on the beach. 


	7. Chapter Seven

**Hello everyone. Time to get up and start reading again I suppose. Something I wanted to say up here was that I have a picture of Ryder that I drew up on Elfwood. The address to get to it is http:elfwood.lysator.liu.se/fanq/m/c/mckenny3/mckenny3.html. Its pretty obvious which one it is so it shouldn't be hard to find. Leave a comment if you want, like my reviews, it makes me feel special. Heh, well that's all for now, on with the story! And once your done with it, REVIEW!**  
  
Chapter Seven  
  
_Back are you? Well good, because I'm ready and willing to tell this little part of my tale. If you remember, last time we talked I was carried away by that disgusting Duke Vincent Bolomeir and his crew, who also happened to take the Black Pearl while they were at it. The words that ran through my mind while I was standing on deck with those grimy arms around me consisted of things that have to do with violence. A lot of violence. But when I spotted Jack Sparrow on the shore running after the ship…whole new words came to mind.   
  
He wasn't just running after the Pearl, he was running after me. Calling out his promise to find me and get me back, a strange expression probably came across my face in that moment. He didn't say, 'I'll get you and the Pearl back, I swear!'. Me, he only swore that he would get me back. Maybe I am more important to him then that ship of his. Who knows.  
  
By the time I was stored away in the brig of the ship, I began to wonder about Nero. Did they kill him? If they didn't, would Jack think to bring the horse with him when he came after me? If he kept to his word that is. I had no idea what would become of the animal, but as time passed I learned that I needed to start worrying about myself as well. Especially around that Bolomeir idiot…_

* * *

The brig of the Black Pearl was flooded up to Ryder's ankles leaving her feet cold in the sea water. She had seen the sun rise two times since she'd been banished to the bowels of the ship, and frankly she was getting a bit worried. Was Jack really going to keep to his word and come after her? She would like to think he would, after all, they did have his wonderful Black Pearl. Sparrow would have to get that back.   
  
She had been stripped of her medallion and was left the think about what they were planning to do. This Vincent character seemed to be a man bent on the destruction of law and order, and with the amulet that destruction would surely occur. The low growl of her belly brought Ryder's attention back to the fact that she hadn't eaten since she was kidnapped. Another thing to be worried about.  
  
A loud creaking sound came from the deck of the ship when the door to the stairs was thrown open and a large man plodded down the steps. He was one of Vincent's right hand men. The girl was pretty sure he was the one they called Dilequiet, but she couldn't be sure. She didn't really feel the need to memorize the moronic crew members names. As he hit the last step, the man fumbled with the keys in his large hands until he found the one he was satisfied with. Unlocking the door to her prison, Dilequiet grabbed Ryder's arm roughly and yanked her up the stairs and out onto the deck.  
  
This new crew was fully contained of men, and unfortunately for her, the burly, ugly kind. Oh, what she wouldn't do to set eyes on that comforting kohl smeared, sweat glazed face of Jack Sparrow again. Whistles and cat calls sounded from the throats of the men as she passed, bringing a sour look across the teenagers face. That was when Vincent Bolomeir stepped out from behind the wheel of the ship.  
  
"Ah, decided to join us, my dear?" he said with a disgusting grin, "Very well. Dilequiet, take her to my quarters." Ryder had to fight the urge to yell out some obscurities and pronounce that it was Jacks quarters, not this ignorant, devious, little scoundrels. The man holding her nodded and did as his Captain advised. Tossing the one eyed girl into the room, he swiftly shut the door and locked in from the outside. She wondered to herself why they bothered locking the door at all. They were in the middle of the sea, were was she going to go? Though the thought of suicide could get tempting in conditions like these.  
  
Within two days, Bolomeir had ripped Jacks room to pieces. Papers were thrown everywhere, maps ripped, collectables broken, and the beautiful crystal pieces inside the rock Sparrow had shown Ryder had been scooped out and were sitting on the desk. On the desk right next to her necklace. Scrambling over to the item, the girl snatched it up and threw it around her neck before concealing it under her clothes. Standing to her full height, she looked around and sighed. Whether she liked to admit it or not, she was feeling…wrong. Empty. Not just upset because she was stuck with these hormone crazed men, but because of something else.   
  
Plopping down on the side of the bed, she ran her hand over the messed covers. She missed Jack. Two days without the man and she was feeling like a wife who's husband went off on business. That thought made Ryder twist her face up in a weird expression. Maybe she was trying to tell herself something. Or maybe she should get off be bed since Bolomeir slept in it last. The mere thought of being close to that man in anyway made Ryder stick out her tongue.   
  
"Ryder, darling!" speak of the devil, "I see your getting accustom to my quarters. Though it is a bit…unkempt, it does nicely. Don't you agree?" he rambled. The girl just glared at him from across the room, separating them as much as she possibly could. "As you can see, I've had quite a time looking for anything in here that has to do with that most remarkable necklace of yours. And I've come to the conclusion that all the information rests in you, my dear."   
  
All she did in response was raise a lip at him. Was he really that stupid? If she knew how to turn the thing on and off like a switch, wouldn't she have done it the moment she woke up? However, she didn't have much time to think that over. Vincent took a few steps across the room toward her, causing Ryder to back up against the windows.  
  
"You're making this far too difficult you know." another step, "All you have to do is tell me," another step, "how to work the amulet." another step, "And I'll send you back to your lover."  
  
"He's not my lover." she instantly corrected, then regretted just as fast.  
  
"Oh, really?" Bolomeir smirked and took those last few steps toward her. Grabbing her around the waist with his left arm and holding her face tightly with his right hand he spoke down in her face at an uncomfortably close position. "Then your free for the taking." he breathed out in a whisper. The girl was quiet for a second then turned her face away as much as she could.  
  
"Your breath stinks." she grumbled and an angry expression came over his face. Throwing her roughly to the bed he stood over her and pointed down, some of his red hair falling over his face.  
  
"You will tell me the secret of that amulet!" he yelled and stormed toward the door. "You have till sundown to tell me what I need to know. If I don't have the information by then, I'll have to resort to more…extreme measures." with that said, he walked out onto the deck and slammed the door behind him. Sundown. Glancing outside, Ryder winced. It was probably noon or so, which meant that she had to find out what he needed to know by then, or Jack had to save her by then. Both sounded pretty far fetched.   
  
Sliding down to the floor, she pulled her knees up her chest and stared out the window. Ryder would either have to sudden have a spark of inspiration, or she would watch the sun slowly sink down into the ocean.

* * *

"How do ye know where their headed Jack? Tha' lil' runt of a Duke could be takin' tha' lass to the Indies fer all we know." Gibbs went on as he stood behind the Captain who was manning the helm with a stern look on his face. The ship that said Duke left for them didn't hold the elegance of any of the ships they had used for their needs before, but Jack didn't seem to care. The heavy set man could guess why.  
  
"We'll find 'em." Jack replied without moving his eyes from the open sea in front of him.   
  
"But…how, were we gonna do tha' again, Captain?"  
  
"We'll find 'em…" the black haired man only repeated in a slight whisper and gripped the wheel of the Abundance tighter. He had pondered Gibbs's questions before he even asked them. How were they going to find them? Jack didn't know. He didn't know which way they went or how fast they were going, the only real thing he knew was that he was going to find them. Them and Ryder. All he had to do was let his hands steer the wheel and somehow they would find them. Somehow.  
  
Getting no reply Gibbs sighed and shrugged his shoulders then stomped on down the stairs to the lower deck. AnaMaria was leaning against the side of the vessel staring out at the crystal waters of the Atlantic. If it hadn't been for this little detour, they would probably be sailing on Caribbean waters by now, but first things first. Save the girl…then save the ship. The darkened woman nearly rolled her eyes at Jack Sparrows sudden change in priorities.  
  
"Still as lively as a sea slug." Gibbs grumbled and stood next to the woman with his arms crossed over his chest. "Never seen Jack Sparrow as stationary as he is now."  
  
"His lady's been kidnapped. Wha' do ya expect?" AnaMaria droned in a deadpan voice. This tone cause the man to look at her a little oddly.  
  
"Somethin' on yer mind?" he started, "Or is it somethin' ya need ta talk to another lass about. I'm not to good wit' those women troubles." he finished and held up his hands.  
  
"Then don't ask, Gibbs." she said a bit quietly. Taking a deep breath in and then letting it out in a heavy sigh, the man went against his common sense and asked.  
  
"Its 'bout Jack, ain't it? Jack an' Ryder?"  
  
"Course not! Are ya bloomin' mad?" the woman snapped a bit to quickly. Gibbs only gave a thin smile and nodded briefly while looking out at the sea.  
  
"Course not." he said with a chuckle in his voice and glanced up at the Captain. "Ya know, female company 'as always gotten things off ol' Jacks mind. Why don't ye go set 'im straight?"  
  
"I think I will." AnaMaria huffed, still set in her agitation from the question Gibbs asked. Making her way over the deck and up to the helm, the woman stood stiffly beside Jack glaring all the way. When he didn't make one little twitch to look her way she threw her arm out to the ocean in front of them.  
  
"If ya didn't see 'em five minutes ago, what makes ya think yer gonna see 'em now? Look around a bit! Talk, do somethin'!" at the outburst, Sparrow did turn his head toward her with questioning eyes. "Walk around, let someone else take charge, make a joke! Savin' the girl and livin' happily ever after isn't the most important thing in the world!"  
  
"Wha' the blazes are you talkin' about?" Jack finally spoke.  
  
"I know yer not tha' daft, Jack Sparrow."  
  
"They got our ship, my ship. They have the Black Pearl, and I want it back." the Captian went on, "Besides, aren't you worried 'bout Ryder at all?"  
  
"Course I'm worried about 'er!" AnaMaria yelled and dropped her arms loosely to her sides. "But, Jack, there's the worry of a friend, and then there's the worry of…"  
  
"What? Of what? Come on, AnaMaria, go on and say it." Jack mumbled through a clenched jaw. This conversation was not something that would raise his spirits.  
  
"I'm not gonna say it, Jack, cause you already know." she whispered harshly. "Ya lost the Black Pearl fer ten years before but ya were never in such a hurry ta get it back like ya are now, were ya?"  
  
"I was on an island fer three days! I didn't really 'ave much choice."  
  
"Why didn't ya take over the ship tha' rescued ya, huh? Why didn't ya go looking' fer it right away?"  
  
"One man takin' over a ship of a full crew?" Sparrow asked with an angry hum in his voice.  
  
"But I thought you were _Captain_ Jack Sparrow." the woman said, her words dripping with sarcasm. The two just stared at each other then, no words being spoken. AnaMaria convinced that she was speaking the truth, and Jack trying to convince himself that she wasn't.

Ryder was his friend, he suppose. A good companion. The thing that was itching at the back of his mind wasn't the fact that she was a friend, but that fact that all the times he had been separated from a friend, whether they were in danger or not, he had never been so hell bent on getting them back. Maybe it was because she was a woman…girl, he meant. Maybe it was because of her little handicap with the eye? Maybe it was the fact that she was so young. Or maybe it was that he could, possibly, feel…  
  
"Cap'n! Ship ahead! Starboard side!" the tiny, bald crew member yelled out, shattering the Captains thoughts. He was right, there just on the horizon, a ship was creeping through the waves at a good pace.

"Its her, Jack! It's the Pearl!" called Gibbs from his place up in the crows nest with telescope in hand. A triumphant grin spread over Sparrows face when that news reached his ears. He had found her. Somehow or another, fate had helped him along a bit and he had found her. His Ryder…no, no…his Pearl.  
  
"But how…?" AnaMaria asked baffled next to him. "How in the world did you find it? And how are we keepin' up wit' it?"  
  
"Takes the right Captain to get the Pearl to her full potential, AnaMaria. Takes the right Captain." Jack grinned over to her before he turned his diligent attention back to the ship ahead.

* * *

_ From inside Jacks, well, Vincent's quarters, I didn't hear much of what the crew was screaming out on the deck. Even with my ear against the door, the only thing I made out were muffled words and loud voices. I'll have to remind Jack to replace those thick doors. They're no good for an eavesdropping captive. Anyway, the next thing I heard was the still inaudible voice of Bolomeir yelling out orders to his crew. I still laugh when I think about how squeaky his voice is when his panicked. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that something was coming up on us, and obviously something I couldn't see from the windows.  
  
Call me daft, but it took until someone was right up next to the door yelling for me to figure out what it was. 'Sparrow, its Sparrow!' the man yelled, and I cheered right out loud. With a big goofy grin on my face the whole time I was watching out the window as the new ship sailed up beside the Black Pearl. I was shaking with excitement. It was like a fairy tale book that I read when I was a child. The damsel in distress gets rescued by Prince charming. Though…Jack Sparrow isn't the essence of Prince charming. Nevertheless, the crew was here to get me and the Pearl back. Sadly though, things are never that easy…_

_

* * *

_  
"Ready your weapons, men!" the Duke yelled out from the helm of the ship as the Abundance ran up beside her. The rightful crew brandished their swords and pistols while yelling promises of pain. Bolomeir's crew just stood ready as ever to fight for what was theirs. Or, better yet, what was their Captains.   
  
Said Captain wasn't going to make this capture easy for the Sparrow crew though. The two ships were still sailing along at a nice speed, and Vincent didn't look like he wanted to stop anytime soon. So, desperate times called for desperate measures.  
  
"Ready the grapplers!" Jack ordered as his crew snatched the grappling hooks from their place on the deck and waited for their Captains orders. "Throw at will, and latch 'em tight, ya dogs!"  
  
At that signal, the hooks were thrown over to the Black Pearl were they dug into the side. Pulling them taught, Bolomeirs crew had no hope of getting them off. The Abundance was pulled closer and closer to the Pearl as the grappling hooks did their work. It was then that Sparrow called out yet another order that would finish the little combination he came up with.   
  
"Let loose the starboard anchor!" with that said, the wanted anchor was dropped into the waters and the ship instantly began coming to a halt, bringing the Black Pearl along with it. The two ships groaned at the sudden change in speed and the attached hooks strained against the weight the Abundance was putting on them. Before long the Pearl crashed into the side of the opposite ship, giving the crew just what they needed to board.  
  
In one moment, the Sparrow crew dashed over the small space and was clashing metal to metal with the Bolomeir side. Almost instantly some of the more…aristocratic men on Vincent's crew took to the sea in cowardice. Pistols were fired, daggers thrown, blood spilt and bones broken. It was almost funny that the big and mean right hand man of Vincent, Clemens, was one of the first to fall to his knees.  
  
"Where's Ryder?" Jack ordered with his cutlass under the larger mans neck. Clemens just stared up at the Captain with a frightened expression for a few moments before pointing timidly toward Jacks old quarters. Nodding, Sparrow then ended the despicable mans life and turned in search of Bolomeir. Ryder was locked in his room out of danger. Freeing her would probably be more life threatening to her then leaving her where she was. At least that's what he hoped.  
  
Inside the cabin of Captain Jack Sparrow, Ryder was having some problems of her own. The boarding of the Sparrow crew had brought Vincent to his last leg and if he wasn't going to get the necklace, he was going to get something. Unfortunately, he wanted the teenager to be that something.   
  
She threw numerous objects at him as he stalked her around the room. Vases, pictures, bottles, books spine first, but the damn man was too persistent and desperate. Jack would kill him when he found him, that was for sure, and he wanted to hurt the older man somehow or another. And what better why to do that then to take something else of his?  
  
"Get away from me you bloody bastard!" the girl screamed at him as he reached for her. Jumping over the bed she ran for the door and desperately tried to pry it open and yelled for any assistance at all. The fighting, however, left no room for her muffled voice. Again, he lunged at her, and she darted across the room. At least that was her plan until Vincent grabbed her wrist and she was flung back against a wall. He may have deemed her hands useless, but he forgot about her legs. As well as her knee.  
  
The sharp cap of her leg hit home right in the groin, and Bolomeir fell to his knees with a red face that contrasted terribly against his carrot top hair. Grabbing one of the few unbroken things in the room, a heavy kerosene lamp, Ryder smashed it down on him, leaving him breathing raggedly on the floor of the sleeping quarters. Going back to the door, the girl shook the heavy plank for all it was worth and yelled out through the small crack between it and the hinges.   
  
"Help! Jack, Gibbs, Cotton, AnaMaria! Anyone!" she pleaded and threw herself against the door in an attempt to free herself. Damn her tiny stature. This would turn out to be one of the occasions she wished she weighed 600 pounds. Taking a few breaths, she started pounding her fists on the door before she called out again. "Help! Som-"  
  
Surprisingly she was cut off and flung across the room into the opposite wall, bringing one last picture crashing to the floor. Trying to pull herself up without toppling over, she was grabbed by the collar of her dressings and yanked up. Opening her mouth to scream again, Bolomeirs shaking hand covered her mouth and made sure her legs were incapable of fighting back this time.  
  
"I tried to be civil. I tried to be caring. All I wanted…was, that amulet," he huffed, still jarred from his kick, "I told him you wouldn't be hurt…and so far you haven't. But, my dear…this is the part where I break my promise…like a good, little pirate." he breathed out and smirked before uncovering her mouth. However, he didn't give her time to even take a breath let alone scream before his nasty, slimy lips captured hers. She screamed in the back of her throat as he held her there and desperately tried to escape anyway possible. Hands, held down. Legs and knees, pinned as well. Only on thing left to do. Vincent must not have thought that animal instincts dwelled in women, but he was wrong. So, so wrong. The next thing he felt were Ryder's teeth sinking into his lip so hard that blood poured down his chin. Removing his mouth from hers with a pain filled screech, Bolomeir left the girl to scream louder then she thought she could ever scream.  
  
"JAAACK!" her voice carried like a banshee's through the door, out on the deck, and into the mans ears. The rest of the crew hesitated, but carried on fighting when the saw Sparrow drop what he was doing and race toward the source of the scream.   
  
"Little tramp!" Vincent bellowed angrily and pulled back his hand. The impact of the hit sent Ryder's vision into a swirl of black and gray, leaving her head lulled to one side. Unlucky for the red haired man, his own voice covered the sound of the door being thrown open and the click of a pistol being cocked as he hit the girl. Nor did he see the killers gleam in chocolate eyes as the man with the weapon witnessed it. The only thing he noticed was the feel of instant death as a bullet entered his skull.   
  
The sound of the shot rang over the Black Pearl and brought a tiny sound from Ryder as she jerked back in reaction. Duke Vincent Bolomeir's dead eyes stared at her as he slipped down to the floor in a bloodied heap. The young woman's half clenched hands where thrown up over her contorted face, still recovering from the gun shot. Gulping down a breath of air, she lowered her hands and raised her face slowly to see Jack standing in the doorway, pistol smoking in his grip. The pale and slightly shaking girl stared at her rescuer as he stared back, both ignoring the fighting that was still raging outside.   
  
It was then that Ryder's woman like qualities came over and her mask of fearlessness fell and her features slackened. Stumbling over the corpse of Vincent Bolomeir, she stood a few feet away from Jack her body limp and vulnerable as she stood there. Dignity came crashing down around her, but she didn't care. She had been kidnapped, threatened, food and water deprived, hit, and nearly raped. She could feel her upper lip swell just a tad and her nose warm up as it always did when she was about to let loose tears. Looking from the floor then up to Jack, she let him see the salt water that was slowly flooding her vision. Pushing aside everything she ever said about not wanting to be close to the pirate, Ryder simply walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist and let the emotions flow as he returned the embrace with two protective arms.


	8. Chapter Eight

** Welcome back everyone! I'm back and ready with a new chapter which I'm sure you've been just waiting with baited breath for. Note the sarcasm. This is gonna be more of a laid back chapter, a change from most of the previous chapters, just to warn you. I don't have much to say up here except for the fact that I want to thank everyone for the reviews and I just wanted to remind you all that if you go to http:elfwood.lysator.liu.se/fanq/m/c/mckenny3/mckenny3.html there's a picture of Ryder up now. It would mean a lot if you left a comment there before you leave, if you don't mind. Well, now that I'm done with that, on with the story. After you read, of course, REVIEW!!!!  
**  
Chapter Eight  
  
_ Well, it seems your back, huh? What a coincidence, in this little tale of mine, I was back as well! Duke Vincent Bolomeir was dead, and the Black Pearl, as well as myself, were back in the possession of Captain Jack Sparrow. The rest of the Bolomeir crew dropped their weapons and raised their hands over their heads when the body of their former Captain was thrown out on the deck. Some dropped to their knees like cowards and begged for mercy, while others, like Deliquiet spat at Jacks feet as he passed. Before being flung over the side of the ship, the disgruntled man left a bit of information behind. If Vincent Bolomeir knew about the amulet and who it was with, someone else would know too. Seems that news traveled fast among thieves.   
  
After dumping the scoundrel crew in the sea and leaving them for shark bait, the Black Pearl and the Abundance were both ours for the taking. They were a little dinged up from the collision, but nothing to get huffy about. Jack split up the crew and ordered some to the new ship and told the others to stay aboard the Pearl. Lucky for me he let AnaMaria stay aboard with me and him so I could have someone besides a man to talk to. Though, I was a little worried by the sudden attitude change she had towards me. I didn't even bother asking Jack about it, it seemed to slip my mind. Especially after certain happenings down in the storage room…_

* * *

The crew of the Black Pearl was busy tending to the internal injuries caused by both the rescue and the treating of the Bolomeir men. Things needed nailed down, stacked up, put away, and reorganized. None of them could figure how a crew could tear a ship apart so easily in just three days. Meanwhile, Jack had to figure out how to calm the speed of the ship down a bit so the Abundance could keep up. According to him it wasn't as easy as it looked.  
  
Ryder had found her place once more on the barrel down by the main mast. It was odd how quickly things returned to normal, not that anyone was complaining. The girl had gathered herself from her momentary breakdown in the Captains quarters earlier and had kept her distance from her savior. The man had already seen her cry, she didn't need to give off the vibe that she was becoming clingy as well. However, she hadn't been the only one keeping their distance.  
  
Jack was confused. His mind was jumbled and none of his thoughts were making sense. Though his mind was scrambled, he had a talent of not showing a bit of it on his expression as he looked over his ship and toward the sitting girl. The still forming bruise on the side of her face was noticeable even from the distance, and it made him sneer. Why did he feel such rage back there? Sure there was the expected anger, but the moment he walked through that door and saw Vincent's hand connect with Ryder's face, his blood boiled. The only thing that he had to convince himself that it wasn't something to be worried about was the fact that she was young and a female. It would be natural for him to be protective of a girl like her, right? But there was protective and then there was…pure aggressiveness.  
  
"Hey, Jack?" the small teenagers voice echoed through his ears and broke his train of thought.   
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Where's Nero?" she asked in a curious tone. She couldn't believe she had forgotten all about her beloved horse. Being tossed overboard and into unfriendly waters was not something that the animal needed more then once. Slipping off the barrel, the girl shuffled toward the stairs that led up to the helm.  
  
"Ah, the horse." Jack remembered and gestured toward the older female aboard before trotted down the steps. "AnaMaria, take charge for a moment will ya?"  
  
"Ya mean, ya actually brought him?" Ryder questioned with a suspicious quirked brow as the man stepped down in front of her.  
  
"Course I did. Couldn't 'ave you tearin' me limb from limb now could I?" he replied with a grin and swayed toward the open door to the lower levels. "Follow me, darling."  
  
Doing as he said, Ryder followed the Captain down the stairs and then to the right when they stepped down onto the second level of the ship. Darling. Love. Why had she suddenly grown so accustom to him caller her those names? And why had she done nothing to make him stop? Maybe she had just found it useless and decided not to waste the energy in arguing about it. Maybe she had just gotten used to be called such things. Or maybe she didn't really care anymore. Either way, she wasn't sure if she was entirely comfortable with it.  
  
" 'ere he is. Safe and sound." Jack announced when they entered the storage room. Waving his arm out in front of himself dramatically, Sparrow stepped aside so Ryder could make it though the doorway. Safe, yes, sound, not quite. Nero was standing in a bored manner, leaning against the wall. One leg was rapped in a makeshift cast created by wrapping bandages and sticks. Crouching down by the injured leg, the teenager inspected the fixings before shaking her head and giving a soft chuckle.  
  
"Your just full of surprises ain't ya, Jack Sparrow?" she said tilting her head back over her shoulder.  
  
"Captain, Captain Jack Sparrow, love." he corrected and gave _that_ smirk when she stood and rolled her eyes. "And yes, I'm jus' filled to the brim with lil' surprises."  
  
Patting the horse's neck a few times, Ryder turned and exited the warm little room followed closely by Jack. Suddenly pausing on her way to the staircase, the girl wrung her hands in front of herself and leaned against one of the support beams. Glancing down to the dirty floor before moving her good eye up to the Captain, she cleared her throat a tad nervously.  
  
"Um…thanks." she said softly then flung her hand back toward Nero's room. "An' not jus' for tha'. For, ya know…rescuin' me and everythin'."  
  
"No need for tha', Ryder. Ya knew I wouldn't jus' leave you with tha' lil' sea rat." he shrugged and leaned against the wall opposite the girl.  
  
"Yeah, well…" Ryder stumbled over her words and looked back toward her feet again. The man tilted his head back at this odd action.  
  
"Somethin' troublin' ya?"   
  
"No." she shook her head. "It's jus' tha'…well, ya didn't 'ave ta save me." This talk brought a searching look from Jack.  
  
"You knew I'd come ta get ya. Right, love?" he asked with a raised brow. What was this girl getting at?  
  
"No, not really." she whispered, receiving an almost shocked look from Sparrow. "When I was with them, I liked ta think tha' you would be comin' after me. After all, Jack, I'm not really any use around 'ere, I can't do anything. The only thing I'm good for is startin' a fight now and then. You didn't HAVE ta rescue me…but ya did. And tha's why I need ta say, thanks."   
  
Jack just stood there for a few moments. She didn't think he would really come to get her? Pushing away from the wall, he clasped his hands behind his back and made a small humming sound to himself.   
  
"You're welcome." he muttered and nodded. For a long while the two just stood there in silence staring at one another, not sure what else to say. There were things to be said, it was just that they didn't know how to say them, or they just didn't want to say them. Once or twice they would break the stare and look to the floor or to the side, but eventually their eyes would always wonder back to the other person. The aching silence was interrupted when the Captain took a few steps forward and reached his hand out from a distance to tilt Ryder's face to the side.   
  
"Looks fairly good…" he said mostly to himself.  
  
"What looks fairly good?" Ryder mumbled in a hoarse voice while she looked at him from the corner of her eye. Touching, they didn't need to be touching.  
  
"Bruise." Jack answered and ran one finger over the purple, green, and yellow coloring before pulling his hand slowly away. The teenager nodded and swallowed a lump in her throat.  
  
"Oh, yeah. Bruise." she whispered. It would have been the perfect moment. The absolute perfect moment for it to happen, for the lips to meet and the fireworks go off, but as Ryder found out, Captain Jack Sparrow had no regard for the opportune moments he talked about so much. The man turned to his side and narrowed his eyes at the girl before grunting to himself.  
  
"I can't believe you didn't think I'd come after ya. Only a woman would be so bloody complicated." Jack said and crossed his arms over his chest. Why did he do that? He had no idea whatsoever. With anyone else he would go with the flow, go on with the mood. But with Ryder it always turned out to be an odd situation. He, Jack Sparrow who was known for having his share of whores and lovers, panicked when these incidents happened with the girl and slammed on the breaks of his emotions. When that happened bad things always came out of his mouth.  
  
"Excuse me?" Ryder raised her voice and placed her hands on her hips. "I'm complicated? How do ya figure tha'?"  
  
"Ya jus' are! Readin' to much into this whole ordeal. We both know tha' you knew tha' I'd come for ya, and your jus' being difficult."  
  
"Difficult. Right, Jack, right. Your acting like a child, none of this makes any sense, and it only proves my point tha' I'm only around 'ere for fightin'!" the girl shot back and glared up at him. Jack gave the same look back and shook his hands at his sides. Bringing them up to Ryder's face, he pointed at her with twitching fingers and an extremely frustrated expression. Taking a step back and turning away from her, the fuming man ran his hands over his face. Letting out a long, loud sigh, Jack twirled back around and stepped right up to her and opened his mouth. After a second or two he closed it back up and went through that process several times before the teenager got fed up.  
  
"If ya bloody want ta tell me somethin' then spit it out already!" she yelled and poked Sparrow in the chest. Again he only opened and closed his mouth, but no sound escaped. Throwing her hands up in the air, Ryder began to push past him. "Damn it all! Fine, I'm goin' back up."  
  
After that statement was spoken, the girl shoved passed the man. Her target was the stairway, though she never made it. Before she could object, her arm was grabbed and she was pulled back by Jack. She would have sworn she heard him murmuring something along the lines of 'blasted girl', but she didn't think twice about it after she felt the pirates hands lightly holding either side of her face. She didn't even remember it after Jacks lips crashed down upon her own.  
  
Ryder's mind struggled to keep up with what was going on. One minute, fighting; the next…whoa. At first she didn't know what to do with herself during this new development, but finally decided to let her arms hang limply at her sides and let out a sigh against the mans lips. The taste of rum rested permanently on his mouth, but what was a little alcohol to add flavor? It wasn't a bad kiss, not that the girl was really experienced enough to judge, in fact in her opinion Jack was a fine kisser indeed. It was probably that instant when her defensive side rebooted and her no touching attitude came back into play. Pushing the Captain roughly away until he was hanging over the banister of the stairs, Ryder gasped and pointed an accusing finger toward him.  
  
"I'm complicated? _I'm _complicated!?" she screeched in a rather unappealing voice and slide behind the support beam, looking out at him from the side. "Wha' is your deal?"  
  
"Your really gonna make me say it, ain't ya?" Jack argued back and rebalanced himself before taking a deep breath and pulling himself together. "While you were gone…I missed tha' irritating sigh you make when ya want attention, I missed tha' little, tha' little tapping noise you make on the barrel with your foot when your bored." he repeated and gestured around with his hands, "I missed you constantly knockin' somethin' over, or doin' somethin' wrong on the ship and makin' me 'ave to do it for you. I missed _you_ alright? 'S tha' what you wanna hear?"  
  
"Well, I…uh…" Ryder stuttered and dropped her mouth open a bit. That may have been what she wanted to hear, but it sure as hell wasn't what she expected.  
  
"You were only gone for three bloody days, and I missed you. Savvy?" Jack finished off and gave an extra little edge to his last word proving that he meant it, he just didn't like it.   
  
"Savvy." the girl breathed out and grinned a bit. Oh how the mighty have fallen. Biting her bottom lip to keep her girlish instincts from letting out an unwanted giggle, Ryder made her way over to the stairway. Slowing to either let Jack go on up or for him to move out of the way, she fisted her hands at her sides. Oh, boy. This would definitely make this a bit uncomfortable. To add insult to injury, the two went through the whole ordeal of back and forth, back and forth. First Jack would take a step forward to go up, then see Ryder stepping forward and he would take a step back. Ryder would do the same thing then take a step forward just a second to late, and Jack would take the step forward again. This went on for nearly a whole minute before they both backed up and Jack, being the gentlemen, waved a hand forward for the girl.   
  
Giving a quick nod, Ryder went ahead up and paused on the third step. Tapping her palms on her thighs, she backed down the steps and clasped her hands in front of her. Opening her mouth to speak to the waiting Jack Sparrow who sent her a quirked brow, the girl closed it again. Clenching her jaw she shook her head and rolled her eyes behind closed lids. This was ridiculous, they did not need to go through this again. So, sucking up every bit of nerve she had left, Ryder grabbed onto the two dangling braids on Jacks chin and pulled him down to her level before planting a firm, slightly lingering kiss on his lips. Jerking away before he could look at her, she took off up the stairs, through the door, and onto the deck.  
  
Still below, Jack Sparrow leaned back on the railing and brought a hand up to straighten out the braids. Moving his eyes up to the open door, the pirate licked his lips and smirked to himself before chuckling lightly and trudging up the stairs.  
  
"Blasted girl…"

* * *

_ That day changed my whole attitude toward Jack. Him admitting that he had missed me so much, and the whole kissing deal, both stretched out a layer of uneasiness between us. And don't think that just because we had that little tender moment meant that we were all over each other all the time like a lovey dovey couple. No, no, no. Sure, every now and then there would be a peck on the lips when the crew wasn't around, but other then that we showed no signs of boosting our 'relationship' up. In fact, when we were in public, we hardly ever talked to one another, which probably wasn't that good of a thing to do.  
  
AnaMaria noticed right away the change in character. Gibbs was soon to follow, then Charlie caught whiff of it. Seems that trying to be inconspicuous only made us stand out more. I could tell that the woman was eager to confront me about the situation, but I tried to avoid her as much as I could. Describing the extent of my involvement with the pirate was the last thing I needed. However, something I did need was a night in a bed on dry land, as in somewhere that wasn't moving. So, after a few days of finding our way back on track, I convinced Jack to stop off at a smaller town with a quaint little inn. A few men stayed aboard the ships to make sure nothing happened, while others filled the inn up to no vacancy. I choose a room next to Jacks, which turned out to be a bit of a mistake on my half. Yes, once again I allowed Jack to find out something about me that very few people had before…_

_

* * *

_  
The room was comfy. It wasn't really nice, it wasn't terrible, but it was doable. Two small windows were spotted on the far side of the room over looking the sea right outside, and a medium sized worn out bed sat in the middle of the room branching off the wall. A picture of a ship sailing the sea hung over the bed and two smaller pictures were placed on either side. Otherwise, the room was empty, save for a small dresser by the wall and a door over to the side that led to a small washroom. Mentioning…a few light knocks sounded on the door followed by a small voice.  
  
"Miss, I have the water for your bath." a woman's voice called in. Opening the door for the tall woman, Ryder gave a small smile and stepped aside while she headed to the wash room with two large buckets of warm water. Kicking off her shoes with a sigh, the teenager glanced across the hall and jumped slightly when her eye caught the sight of Jack suddenly standing there with that grin on his tanned face. Closing her eye and counting to ten, the girl opened back up and looked at him with a false irritated look on her features.  
  
"Can I help you?" she mumbled and leaned against the open door. The man just shrugged.  
  
"Jus' seein' if your settled in alright, love. Nothin' ta get hostile about." he slurred and waved the bottle of rum around in front of himself.   
  
"Where did you get tha'? We haven't been 'ere long enough for you ta go down ta the pub." Ryder asked and shook her head.  
  
"I 'ave my ways." he chuckled and leaned his head back for a swig just as the inn worker came out of the girls room.  
  
"There ya go, miss. Enjoy." the woman nodded politely and wiped her hands on her white apron. While passing the Captain, the shorter of the two females noticed the more then friendly look the worker sent the man. He only brought his rum away from his mouth before smiling at her and watching the woman sashay down the hall. Opening her mouth in disgust, Ryder looked back and forth from the woman to Jack.  
  
"Wha'?" Jack asked with wide innocent looking eyes, though the amused look in the brown pools told that he knew what was what.  
  
"Don't give me tha'! I saw the look you were givin' tha' lil' harlot! How in the world do you find THAT attractive? She's probably gone ta bed with every sailor from 'ere ta Massachusetts." the girl argued and pointed toward the older woman who was making her way down the stairs.  
  
"Now, now, now, tha's not a tinge of jealousy I hear is it, darling?" the pirate teased and took another sip from the bottle in his hand. Swinging his other arm around Ryder he swallowed before lightly kissing her on the corner of her mouth. "There be no need for tha'."  
  
"Get off, yer makin' me vomit!" she exclaimed while attempted to hide the small smirk that was beginning to form on her face and backed into her room. "Now leave me to my bath, ya bloody drunkard." with that she shut the door in his face before he could enter. Grumbling something to himself, Jack smiled at the closed door and reached for the handle.  
  
"Don't even think about it." Ryder's deadpan voice stopped him in motion. Narrowing his eyes at the door he grunted and retreated back to his room.  
  
"As my lady wishes." he snorted sarcastically before closing the door. Oh yes, a match made in heaven.   
  
Meanwhile, in her room the teenager fled to the washroom and quickly discarded her clothing and eye patch. Slipping into the hot water, Ryder dunked her head immediately in and swished her hair around a bit. She hadn't had a chance to rinse of the dirt and grime that had covered her while being captive on the Pearl, and she couldn't stand the icky feeling that the men left behind on her. Emerging from the steaming water, the girl started cleaning where necessary and thinking to herself.  
  
"Is tha' a tinge of jealously I hear?" she mocked Sparrow. "Jealousy my arse. Humph…jealous…" she muttered and leaned back against the cool porcelain of the tub. What was wrong with her? One little sultry look at Jack and she wanted to rip that seductive smile right off the woman's face. What had she become, some obsessive nag? In a matter of a few days? Shaking her head, Ryder slid slowly back down into the water and looked up at the ceiling from beneath. Of course she wasn't an obsessive nag. Who could possibly be obsessed with Jack Sparrow?  
  
Rolling her eyes around the glance up at the little window over the tub, the girl suddenly let out a scream under water. Outside the glass, a hardly noticeable face peered in at the girl. Almost instantly she realized who it was and pulled herself from the water while quickly covering herself with her arms.  
  
"CHARLIE!" she shrieked so loud it sent the man outside tumbling from his perch on the building and yelling painfully onto the ground below. In the hallway, the sound of footsteps echoed about, the door to her room flew open, and Jack and Gibbs ran in. Running to the windows, the looked down on he ground to see Charlie lying in a moaning heap. The two men let out a few curses and the heavier of the two stomped out of the room and down the stairs, mumbling all the way about how he was going to wring the fallen mans neck. Jack on the other hand, yelled out a brief 'damn you Charles' and slammed the window closed. Plodding to the washroom, he casually leaned against the door frame.  
  
"Everything alri-" the Captain started to ask then stopped mid sentence. He guessed that his mind wondered for a bit and he didn't remember that Ryder was in the tub and that she would be naked before he entered the room. But there she was, curled up in the corner of the water staring at him with wide eyes. Frozen in place, Jack only stared back and watched as a blush rose up over her shoulders, up her neck and spread over her face. "Um…every, um, everything alright back 'ere?" he finally spit out and cleared his throat mid-sentence.   
  
"F-fine." Ryder answered and nodded. Sparrow only quickly nodded back and stood stiffly in the doorway. Don't get him wrong, seeing a naked woman still had a very big affect on him, but this was Ryder. For instance, if he had walked in on that inn worker taking a bath he probably would have just grinned and enjoyed the view. However, this was Ryder, not that woman, and seeing the teenager naked only made him nervous. Really, really nervous. Of course, it wasn't as if he wasn't enjoying the view, it was just that…  
  
"Done yet?" the girls voice piped up again and she looked up at him with a raised brow.  
  
"Yeah, sorry 'bout that, love." Jack nodded again and backed out of the washroom and closed the door behind him. Awkward. Very awkward.  
  
Climbing out of the water, Ryder dried off with a makeshift towel before wrapping it around herself. First being spied on by Charlie and then Jack walking in on her. Was the whole world bound and determined to see her nude? Wringing her hair out, she grabbed for her eye patch and opened the door, fumbling with the tangled band of the patch. Grumbling angrily, the girl tossed the item down on the bed where she spotted yet another surprise.  
  
"Jack! Damn it all, wha' are ya still doin' in 'ere?" she asked in a high voice with her hand on her chest in surprise. When the surprise faded, that hand was kept up there to make sure her towel stayed together.   
  
"Well," he started. A reason for being there, a reason for being there…Something snappy, something snappy… "I wanted ta ask ya somethin'."  
  
"Alright…what?"  
  
"How did you…" he paused once more. Something to ask, something to ask. What was something that he wanted to know? Squinting one of his eyes in thought, Jack glanced down at the dropped eye patch then looked back to the teen with a question. "How did you get that scar?"  
  
"My scar?" Ryder whispered and raised both eyebrows. She had almost forgotten that she didn't have the cover on when she was in the tub, or now even. It was probably a good thing she was comfortable with somebody seeing it. "Its no big deal, Jack."  
  
"I wanna know. Where'd ya get it?"  
  
"My mother," the one eyed girl started and fumbled with her hands. She was going to tell him, my God she was really going to tell him. "My mother was a bar maid over in Europe, and my father was a lawyer. He met her while he was on a business trip and brought her back with him."  
  
"A lawyer and a bar maid, eh? Quite the couple." Jack commented and flopped down on the bed awaiting the rest.  
  
"Shut up and let me tell it." Ryder snapped then went on. "To make a long story short, nobody like it when they got married, he was fired from his job and forced ta move outta town. They didn't move far enough away for the towns liking so…they took action." she let out in one breath.  
  
"Action?" the laying man asked with a curious look.  
  
"By tha' time I was 'bout three and my parents had ta go out one night and I was left with the nanny. Towns people took the advantage, burned the house with us in it, I escaped, they found me and did this." she once more breathed out and ran a finger down the scar. "Nanny died, we moved to the Americas, and mama and daddy died a few years later. End of story."  
  
"They did that ta you jus' because of who yer mother was?" Jack questioned and raised up to his elbows. "They did tha' to a lil' girl?"  
  
"Yes, they did tha' to a lil' girl. Are we done now?" she asked in an aggravated tone and pulled the towel tighter around herself.   
  
"Aye, we're done." agreed and rolled off the bed. Gripping his rum bottle loosely in one hand and popped his fingers on the other. Looking to the girl across the bed and shrugged his shoulders and slurred out. "Ya know, some people…"  
  
"I don't need anyone's sympathy, Jack. Yours included." she said bitterly and shuffled over to the door and opened if for him. "You can go now."  
  
"Alright, alright, I'm goin', love." the Captain sighed out and walked his way to the door. Stopping just short of the hall Jack glanced back at the girl with a lick of his lips and a tiny smirk. "G'night kiss?"  
  
"Ya never quite do ya, Jack?" Ryder asked with an amused expression. "No shame at all."  
  
"None at all." he replied and tilted his head to the side before making a kissy face.  
  
"Bloody 'ell." she mumbled and took hold of the two braids on his chin. Pulling him down, the teen let his lips hover over hers for a moment, preparing for the kiss. How in the world he had managed to break her down so easily was beyond her, but the feeling wasn't all that bitter. When she felt Jacks scented breath on her mouth, she began to close her eyes, but glanced to the side a bit before hand.  
  
"Cotton!" her voice let out at the site of the mute man passing down the hall. Jerking Jacks head away from her by his braids, Ryder ignored the grunt from him when he stumbled to the side. " 'Ello there Cotton. Parrot." she went on with a big smile and nodded to both the man and the bird on his shoulder. The two just stared at the northern girl and the wincing pirate for a few moments before Cotton gave a small smile back and continued down the hall. Leaning out of the doorway, the girl watched to make sure that they were both safely in a room and that the rest of the hall was cleared before releasing Jacks braids.  
  
"Ya could warn a man!" Sparrow exclaimed and rubbed his chin.  
  
"Well I didn't seem 'em, they caught me off guard!" she whispered harshly back and moved one hand up to hold her towel in place.   
  
"If I didn't know any better I'd say you were ashamed of me." Jack whispered back in a humorous tone. "No matter. Now, where were we, love?"  
  
"I think you were 'bout ta leave." Ryder answered and dodged his incoming lips. The man pulled back with a mix of stubbornness and aggravation showing on his face.  
  
"Why do I even bother with you, huh? Guess I'll 'ave ta get my needs elsewhere." he slurred and stomped off down the hall.  
  
"Where you goin'?" the girl asked peeking her head out the hall. Jack paused and turned his head back slightly just enough so she could catch a glimpse of his cocky grin.  
  
"Goin' ta see if tha' workin' girl is still up and about."  
  
"Excuse me?" she spoke in a venomous voice that caused a crew member that wandered out of his room to retreat back to the safety of a closed door. When Jacks tricorn hat disappeared down the steps, Ryder gave a low feral growl in her throat and ran back to the washroom to throw on her old ratty dress that was usually hidden under her dark green cover up. Straitening out the garment, she walked with a deadly look in her eyes to the bed and pulled on her patch. What on Gods green earth was she doing? Jack wasn't her husband, fiancée, or even her lover. He was something to her other then just a friend or ship mate, more like a friend and ship mate that kisses every now and then.  
  
Slipping on her shoes, Ryder clopped down the stairway to the little tavern section of the inn. Other then a few bar maids, the area was appeared deserted. That is until the searching girl spotted a table over in the corner with two chatting occupants who were leaning across the table, dangerously close to each other. Clenching her fists tightly at her sides the teenager slowly walked over to the table where the man in the hat looked over the woman's shoulder and gave a that smirk. Coming to a stop behind the still talking inn worker, Ryder tried desperately to suppress the urge to rip the blondes hair out and smash her face into the wood splintered floor.   
  
"Can I help ya with somethin', darling?" Jack suddenly asked, making the blondes attention shift to Ryder. For a long while the two females sneered lethally at one another, both daring the other to say something. The older woman's sharp green eyes peered up at the teen with an attitude that clearly screamed out 'I'm better then you so get over it', while the younger of the two stared coldly down at the other with a look that shrieked 'kill…destroy, must kill…'. It was along those thoughts that the green eyes traveled down and sat their gaze upon the amulet that was still dangling from Ryder's neck. The girls eye glared as the woman's studied the stone before pulling herself up from her seat.  
  
"Lovely necklace." the worker commented in a hissing tone as she looked down upon the one eyed girl. Realizing that she only reached to the woman's chin, Ryder knew that if worse came to worse, she probably wouldn't stand much of a chance. She was short and there was not getting around that fact.   
  
"Thank you." she replied stiffly and glanced back at the pirate who rose up from the chair and scooted himself between the two.  
  
"Now, now, ladies. Calm yourselves." the soothed and rested a hand on Ryder's shoulder. He didn't even attempt to touch the worker with the look the seventeen-year-old was giving him…it would probably end up to be hazardous to his health. "Can't we all jus' sit and 'ave a nice bit a' rum?"  
  
"No." they both answered at the same time. Raising her upper lip a little, Ryder gave a last glare before plopping down in the chair the woman was previously sitting in. Both older people looked down at her, one with eyes full of hatred and the other with eyes full of satisfaction. Turning his chocolate gaze on the worker, Jack shrugged and took a sip of his drink.  
  
"Sorry, lass. Seems there's not enough Jack ta go around."  
  
"Fine." the blonde said in a surprisingly even tone of voice. Sliding back into his seat, Sparrow failed to notice the lingering green eyes that rested on Ryder as the woman walked back behind the bar and through a door to the back. Something wasn't right with that woman, something wasn't right at all.   
  
"So…came crawling back to ol' Jack did ya?" the mans voice asked in a laughing tone. He questioned, but he got no answer. The girls attention was still turned to the closed door behind the bar. She didn't like being around that blonde, she made her nervous. It wasn't just the threat that she posed as when it came to the Captain, it was something else. For some reason, Ryder thought that tonight she would need to sleep with one eye open.   
  
"Ryder? You alright over there, love?" Jacks asked again, concern coating his words.   
  
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Jus' peachy…" she drifted off then shook her head and stood abruptly. "I'm gonna get on ta bed."  
  
"I believe I'm gonna head tha' way too." he agreed and watched as Ryder maneuvered her way through the tables and started up the stairs. Ryder being quiet after Jack aggravating her. Not a good thing. Jogging up the up towards the girls room, Jack put a hand on the door as she was about to close it. Pulling it open a bit so she could look out, she leaned her head against the frame.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Your not tha' mad at me are ya?" Jack asked and also rested his head on the door frame, looking down at her.  
  
"No, no, I'm not mad. Jus'…stay away from that little wench down there, alright?"  
  
"As you like. Didn't know that a small lil' thing like yourself could harbor such…intense female rivalry possibilities." he smiled.  
  
"Shut up, Sparrow." Ryder rolled her eyes with a smirk. "Now leave me alone and go ta bed." she added and began to shut the door again. Stopped the door with his boot, Jack pushed it open slightly.  
  
"G'night kiss?" he asked again. Letting out a long sigh, the girl pushed him aside and glanced up and down the hall to make sure they wouldn't have any problems like their last attempt. Seeing no sign of life, she nodded her head and moved her fingers in a 'come hither' motion.  
  
"Well come down 'ere if ya want one so bad." she said and took his braids in her hand once more. This was going to get old, she would have to get shoes with more of a heel on them or Jack was going to sprain his neck.   
  
The kiss was simple. A meeting of the lips that held for a few seconds was all that it was made of. No parting of mouths or touching of tongues, just a short and sweet blending of lips as usual. When they were pulled apart, Jack let out his own sigh and gave a short nod.  
  
"Now I'll leave ya alone." he whispered in a husky voice and grinned as Ryder slowly let his braids slip from her hand.   
  
"Mhmm." the teenager hummed and backed away from the Captain, stumbling over her feet a bit. The chuckle of Jack backing into his own room, brought Ryder's eye up to meet his dark ones and she blushed a bit before her face twisted into an embarrassed anger and she slammed her door. Sparrow only smiled to himself and silently closed his door for the night. 


	9. Chapter Nine

** I'm back, I'm back, I'm back. Ohhh, and guess what guys? I've just about finished a picture of Ryder and Jack. There's also a nameless bar maid giving Jack the eye with lil' Ryder nearby ready for the kill. I'll be sure to tell you all when I'm done with it. Well, on with the story!**  
  
Chapter Nine  
  
__

_ Hello everyone. Back once more I see. Well, lets get on with this story so I can get back to staring blankly at the ocean. Now…ah, the tavern ordeal. Well, the next morning we took off. No more problems came from the wench back in the inn, I made it though the night unscathed. Though, even when we were safely sailing away from land, I still could shake the feeling of her cold eyes. I didn't see her the morning we left, and that made the feeling even worse. Every rock we passed, I was sure that she would be on the other side, staring at me with those green, serpent like orbs.   
  
Getting away from that subject, things went along as usual. The Abundance trailed behind the Black Pearl at a steady pace, and the crew went about their business. Jack assured me several times that we were only a few days away from Port Royal. Needless to say, that news brought my mood up right away. Only a few days and I would be done with this whole amulet business. At least that's what I planned.  
  
Nearly two days after we left that inn I finally got that chance to talk with Ana Maria. She repeated over and over that nothing was wrong and she was fine and dandy about the whole Jack thing. But, my persistence eventually paid off and I got a little bit of a confession out of the older woman…_

* * *

"So…"  
  
"So what?"  
  
"C'mon, Ana Maria." Ryder begged. "Jus' say it and I'll leave ya alone about the whole thing."  
  
"There's nothin' ta say." the pirate shrugged and crossed her arms over her stomach, looking over at the younger woman with calm brown eyes.  
  
"Liar."  
  
"I'm not lyin'. I got nothin' ta say about you and Jack. I wish the best to ya both." she responded and flung a hand out behind her toward the Captain at his post behind the wheel. Ryder only stared at her.  
  
"Uh huh. And whatever happened ta those 'special feelin's' ya had fer 'im?"  
  
"Now, now, I never told ya what those feelin's were. Fer all you know they could be special feelin's of hatred."   
  
"Yeah, they could be." the girl sighed and slid off the barrel before going over to stand next to her shipmate near the rail. "But they're not."  
  
After that, both stayed silent. Neither knew quite what to say in the situation. Ryder didn't want to come off as the overly suspicious type, and Ana Maria didn't want to come off as the immensely jealous type. Every now and then, each would glance up at Jack who was still completely oblivious to the discussion between the two.   
  
"Jacks…a good man." the eldest finally spoke and looked over at the smaller girl. "I can't lie about that. But…if he had any interest in me he would've said something' 'bout it by now."  
  
"Not necessarily." Ryder mumbled.  
  
"S'tha' suppose ta mean?"   
  
"Well," the girl shrugged. "Jus' think about it. After I get this thing where its suppose ta be, I'll be goin' back home. Then it'll be jus' you and 'im again."  
  
"I…" Ana Maria hesitated. The teenager would be going home after all this. But she didn't think that anyone, mainly Jack really thought ahead to that fact. She was a seventeen-year-old girl, and not fit to be a pirate, and from what the woman could tell, the girl was happy back at her home. Ana Maria had thought about this a few times before, but it was always hard to imagine. How would Jack Sparrow be if Ryder left? Especially since all the…developments that had occurred in their odd relationship. " 'ave you talked ta Jack about this?"  
  
" 'bout me goin' home? No, it's a well known fact, isn't it?" Ryder answered. Guess she didn't think the same way the pirate woman did.  
  
"I think you should talk to 'im about all this before we get ta Port Royal. Jus' ta be safe."  
  
"He knows I'll be goin' home, Ana Maria. Don't be worryin' so much about it." the girl chuckled and started making her way back to her barrel.  
  
"I'm not really _worried_ about it…I'm jus' a tad concerned I 'spose." she explained, receiving a blank look from the one eyed girl that told her to go on.   
  
"Ryder, I'm not worried that Jack doesn't know that you'll be goin' back, I'm worried that he might…change after you leave."  
  
"Change?" the other female raised a brow.  
  
"Your gonna make me go into detail, ain't ya?" she sighed out. "Here it is. Jacks happy now, wit' you 'ere. Ya brought a change to the Black Pearl. And I know you two have been gettin'…closer, and tha' makes it worse."  
  
"He won't miss me tha' much, Ana Maria."  
  
"Yeah he will."  
  
"No, he'll be fine." Ryder argued. The older woman looked at her with deadly serious eyes.  
  
"Yeah. Yeah he will. I don't like it tha' much, but he will."  
  
"You don't like it that much?" the sitting one asked in a soft tone. Now she was getting somewhere. Though the look on Ana Maria's face told her that she didn't like where they were going. The pirate had been found out and she didn't like it. For a while the two just stared at each other with a bit more understanding. Ana Maria had let out a bit of the truth of her feelings and Ryder had come to realize that maybe the other was right. Maybe she should talk to Jack about the leaving issue.   
  
"He changed when you were kidnapped." the woman suddenly commented bringing Ryder's curiosities peaking.   
  
"How so?"  
  
"Didn't talk, didn't move, didn't do much of anything." she replied. "At first I thought tha' maybe it was jus' the guilt gettin' to 'im, but then…"  
  
"Wait, wait. Guilt?" the girl asked with an unreadable look.  
  
"Yeah, ya know…from tellin'." Ana Maria mumbled.  
  
"Tellin'?" Ryder asked once more with an ever-growing aggravated look. The woman just looked back and forth from the teen to Jack with a changing expression. Confusion, disbelief, to anger.  
  
"You mean ta tell me he didn't tell…" she started to exclaim but was cut short by the sound of cannon fire. The crew all dashed to the side of the ship, searching for the source of fire. The ship rolled to the side as the cannon ball collided with the water beneath and the sound of Jacks voice carried over the deck ordering the pirates around.  
  
"Let out the sweeps! Return fire!" he yelled out while steering the ship closer to the enemy. Coming up on them from the right side, two ships prepared for the battle. No flags flew from the masts, so it was hard to tell who they were exactly except for the fact that they were enemies that needed to be killed.   
  
Ana Maria left Ryder's side and took to the below decks to arm the cannons along with several other members of the crew. Another fire shook the sea and sent Ryder ducking behind her ever-loyal barrel as the heavy object whizzed over the deck and into the ocean on the other side. The sound of shouts and screams took over after that as the Black Pearl and the Abundance came closer and closer to the intruding ships. The four crews never really formed any words with their yells, but the loud sound alone was enough to get the point across.   
  
"Ryder, lock yourself in my quarters!" Jack called out to the still hunkering girl by the barrel. She began to nod, but was rudely interrupted by another fire from the opposite side of the water. The ship vibrated under her feet as she scampered across the deck toward the Captains room. The door was so close, so close…but unfortunately her easy path was made difficult by a rolling telescope that caught her feet.   
  
Grunting as she made hard impact with the deck, Ryder glared with her good eye at the metallic object. Where the hell did that thing come from? Not giving it a second thought, she snatched up the object as an idea popped in her head. Creeping to the side of the ship, she plastered herself against the wood to keep out of view of the still firing enemies. Ever so carefully she peeked the telescope of the side and peered through it with a wide eye. Moving the brass thing from side to side to get a look at both ships, she froze when her gaze fell over the deck of the firing ship.  
  
"Tha' lil' bitch." Ryder cursed softly as her grip tightened on the telescope. There, hanging all over the tall man, who seemed to be the captain of the ship, was the whore from the inn. Her long blonde hair was pulled up into a messy twist that looked as if she thought it was extremely high class. A long dark green dress hugged the whores' body in all the right places and her eyes stared right over at the girl. Sneering dangerously, the teen grinded her teeth at the thought of Jack seeing the whore again. Especially in her new garments. She would bet anything that the little wench got all dolled up just because she knew Jack would be on the ship.   
  
It was then that she regretted ever showing herself to the other ship. The woman leaned against the man and whispered something in his ear that brought a twisted smile to his greasy face and turned his eyes in Ryder's direction. Gasping slightly, she sunk back out of view and tossed the telescope to the side before making a dead run for Jacks room. Barring the door behind her, she made her way to the window and gazed out to see the cannon fire coming to a halt. The muffled sound of the enemies' captain saying something the Sparrow was inaudible to her, but she had a sickening feeling of what it might be about.  
  
"I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!" she screamed at the necklace as it dangled from her neck. Pulling the pendant up toward her face she spit at it, ripped it from her neck and chuckled it violently across the room. "This is all your damn fault! You and that ol' woman!"  
  
Should she have been worried about the fact that she was screaming at an inanimate object? Possibly, but she could think about that later. At the moment, she needed to think about what that sound was. Whispering? Paddles hitting the water? It was barely noticeable, but she noticed it all right. Slowly opening one of the windows in the room, Ryder glanced out to the water.   
  
"Oh no." she whispered to herself and locked the window back up trying not to panic. From off to the side a row boat of about six men was gliding through the sea and up to the Black Pearl out of reach of Jack Sparrows vision. She needed to get out. She needed to run, far, far away. Where was Jack? She needed Jack. The thought almost brought her to yell his name, but a hand over her mouth muffled her scream.  
  
She was dragged across the room, her heels digging into the floor the entire time, begging to be let go of. As her capture reached the other side of the chambers Ryder was able to catch that one of the windows was ajar slightly before he threw open the door to a little closet and tossed her in before entering himself. 'Oh God, not again! This was Vincent Bolomeir all over again' she thought to herself as the hand once more clamped over her. Clawing at the mans body she tried desperately to bite at his hand, but it was to firmly locked onto her face.  
  
"Shhh, its me Ryder." the man calmed in a voice that was hardly a whisper. "Be quiet."  
  
Charlie. She recognized the letch's voice right off. But Charlie was on the Abundance, not the Pearl. How did he…the open window. Nodding against his hand, Ryder pried it off and shifted slightly away from the scruffy haired young man before whispering back as the ones outside got closer.  
  
"We gotta go tell Jack."  
  
"That'll start an uproar. I think they'll go away if they don't find ya 'ere." Charlie explained and peeked through the crack in the door, light flooding its way onto his face in a thin line. All in all, Charlie wasn't that bad of a man. He did care about people, he was honest, dependable, loyal, and kind, but that damnable amorous nature of his! He would have been the ideal man if not for it. His early 20's still gave him that boyish charm in his looks that any female would find attractive, but some things just couldn't be overlooked, and his peeping tom habits were one of them.  
  
Creak.  
  
The floorboards outside groaned under newly added weight and the two in the closet froze. Charlie pulled away from the small opening and pushed up against the back of the wall, placing Ryder securely behind him. Either he truly didn't want anything happening to her or he was scared shitless of what Jack would do to him if he found out it was his fault the girl got hurt or kidnapped again.  
  
Creak.  
  
They were getting closer. No longer did the intruders whisper back and forth to one another, they only searched in silence. Ryder grabbed onto Charlie's shirtsleeve tightly for security and squeezed her eye closed when a figure passed by the door.   
  
"She's not here." a quiet voice spoke from outside as the searching came to a halt.   
  
"She's gotta be here. Look harder." another, more familiar voice ordered roughly. At the sound of it, the girl opened her eye widely. Deliquiet. A few responses were mumbled and the sound of cabinets being opened sent fear ripping through both of the hidden crewmembers. When Ryder heard one of the men rummaging around corners and behind chests, her breath caught in her throat.   
  
"The amulet." she whispered shocked at her stupidity for leaving it stranded out there. That shock only grew when they noticed the pause in the searching. Glaring back at her, Charlie clamped his hand over her mouth again for good measure.   
  
"You hear tha'?" the gruff voice of the man nearby asked and stood dangerously close to the closet.   
  
"No," came Deliquiet's response. "Maybe Sparrow hid the lil' wench down in the brig."  
  
"But, sir, I'm sure I heard-"  
  
"If I didn't hear anything, it wasn't anything worth hearin'." the familiar man whispered harshly.   
  
"The others are checkin' the brig, if she were down there they would've let us know by now." another man commented and leaned heavily against the door of the closet, bringing Ryder and Charlie to hold their breaths. She was right under their noses and they didn't even know it. Ah, the ignorance of men.   
  
"Fine, fine," Deliquiet snapped before the sound of them making their way out of the quarters seeped through the closet. "Maybe Captain can bargain with Jack again like Bolomeir did."  
  
With that said, the several men disappeared through the window from which they came leaving the two still hidden in the closet. Bargain? What bargain? Ryder was once again confused. First about the little talk with Ana Maria about Jack telling something and then this…oh…  
  
"I think they're gone." Charlie whispered to the girl who was still a bit dazed by her sudden discovery of sense. As the young man began turning the handle on the door, he stopped stiffly at the opening of a door. Both took a deep breath in and scooted further into the small space. The footsteps outside traveled all over the room, from one side to the other. Another enemy pirate? A member of the crew? Ryder didn't have much time to think on either question before the unknown person made his way to the unstable door of the closet. The teenager gripped onto Charlie from behind, while he himself squinted his eyes and tilted his head to the side, preparing for the worst.   
  
The door swung open with a clatter and a startled yelp escaped Ryder's mouth, while the male in the closet closed his eyes. Some brave hunk of man he was.  
  
"Wha'…Charlie, you son of a…" an extremely hostile, but still familiar, voice huffed. Opening her eyes, the girl looked up to gaze upon their finder, only to see a very angry, very violent looking Jack Sparrow who was currently glaring flaming arrows at Charlie who still had an arm around Ryder.  
  
"Cap'n…" Charlie squeaked out under the older mans stare. "Its not wha' it looks like."  
  
"Oh…s'tha' so?" Jack stated in a deadly deadpan voice, his hands gripping at his sides.  
  
"Its not!" the shaggy haired man insisted and slowly began situation himself behind Ryder, who was just looking on the whole ordeal with a slightly irritated expression on her face. Did he really think that Charlie and her would…eww.  
  
"Ryder, love," Sparrow started, his burning eyes never leaving Charlie. "Why don't you get on out of that closet, hmm?"  
  
"Now hold on jus' one minute Mr. Sparrow!" the small female suddenly burst out, bringing both men to look down at her with wide eyes. Pushing herself off of Charlie, she stomped out of the closet, sending Jack stumbling backwards. "Jus' because you've got a problem with bein' secure in yer masculinity don't mean ya 'ave ta go around throwin' accusations!"  
  
"Problem?" Jack asked in a relatively quiet voice compared to her shouting one. Alright, maybe he had been a _bit_ too hasty…  
  
"Tha's right, I said it! Problem!" Ryder spat out and poked the Captain hard in the chest while taking another step forward. "For yer information, _Captain_, Charlie 'ere saved my life! If it weren't fer tha' lecherous bit of a man, I would've been halfway ta hell and back while you were 'avin' a nice lil' chat wit' the captain. Jus' because you would be makin' a move on any woman you had in a closet don't mean tha' every other man on the Earth would!"  
  
When she finished the girl was breathing hard and her face was scrunched up into something that would send any man crawling under a table with his tail between his legs. Jack Sparrow was no different. While the teen had been throwing the spicy words at him, he had slowly made his way back and away from her until he rammed roughing into a bookcase. From behind, Charlie had edged his way out of the closet and was huddling close to the door in case the wrath of a woman was unleashed upon him.   
  
"Darling, I didn't mean ta…" Jack started then faded off when he noticed a hint of something else in Ryder's gaze. Something that he couldn't quite put his finger on at the moment, but he knew something else was fueling this lash out other than being accused of involvement with Charlie. Something else was on her mind and it was just begging to be let loose. Oh, God forbid that rage is anything more than this.   
  
"Jus'…go out on deck and get this excuse for a ship gettin' ta Port Royal already." she mumbled dismissively and started rummaging through turned over tables and chairs in search of the thrown amulet. Both men looked at each other before Charlie made a mad dash out of the room, leaving Jack to stare dumbfounded at the young woman. If she had been in a less violent state of mind, he would have made a crack about the mood swings of women. At this moment, however, he decided it would be better for his safety if he waited until later on.   
  
So, leaving the girl to her searching, Jack sauntered his way out onto the deck. Nearby the two enemy ships were still drifting, waiting for the Black Pearl to give them room to make an exit out of the cove. The discussion between the other captain and himself had gone fairly smoothly. For all the other man knew, Jack had no idea who the young girl was that held the medallion and he had no clue as to what the man was talking about. Did he truly think the other captain would believe him? Of course not, but they were merely a few days away from Port Royal and if they could beat this enemy then everything would be alright. After all this, 'excuse for a ship', was the fastest in the Caribbean, and if they had to leave the Abundance behind for a time, than so be it.  
  
Trudging up the steps to the helm, Jack groaned silently to himself. He couldn't get that look Ryder was giving him out of his mind. She was upset…very upset. Surely all that rage couldn't have come from the closet incident. That was petty, even for a woman. Then what was it? Could it be that he always stowed her away every time trouble raised it ugly head? No, surely it couldn't be that.   
  
Flicking a few fingers in the direction of the crew to give a silent 'lets get going' command, Sparrow gave a few more glances over in the direction of the ships. Certainly they knew he had Ryder and the amulet, so why were they being so…civilized? Possibly a gentleman pirate? A privateer? He didn't know, but he did know that he would need to keep a look out during their travels. The last thing anyone needed was Ryder getting kidnapped once more. Tipping his tricorn hat toward the opposite ship, Jack turned the Pearl to the south.  
  
"Bloody amulet…" the sound of Ryder's voice came up and tugged on the Captains ears as she stepped out of his quarters and onto the fairly cleared out deck. His brown eyes went wide as he watched her fumble with the pendant around her neck in clear view of the ones who were searching for the trinket. After she had tucked it under her garments, she looked up at him with an icy gaze. Yet something else to get Jack confused, but he didn't have much time to ponder that look.  
  
"There she is!" a female's voice shrieked across the water. Shooting his eyes toward the flag ship of the enemies, Sparrow gripped the wheel with white knuckles. Damn that girl! Couldn't she just have stayed in the room like he told her?  
  
Suddenly the air around them erupted with screams and shouts. Small boats hit the surface of the water and quickly filled with men who were bound and determined to get their grubby hands on that necklace. Without a word from the captain, the crew of the Black Pearl leapt into action and began firing upon the ships once again. That woman's voice, why did it sound so familiar?   
  
Some of the boats were getting close. The sound of them knocking into the side of the Pearl and the sight of grappling hooks on the ledge was enough to make Jack run down the steps and grab hold of Ryder. Pulling her by the arm back towards his room, the man snatched the pistol from his side and cleanly shot one of the men clambering over onto the deck. He was so close to getting the girl shoved into the safety of a closed door, but unfortunately fate had other plans. Something collided with his head. Hard.  
  
The world fuzzed around the edges of Jack's vision as his grip fell from Ryder's arm and he made contact with the deck. Voices swirled over him, most male, and one loud female. A small foot slid in front of his hand as the young woman was hauled over the edge most ungracefully. Who was that woman? Thoughts were scattered here and there in his mind and he couldn't decipher from left to right let alone remember whoes voice was whose.   
  
"Jack! Jack, get up!" Ryder screamed out in a panicked tone as the strangers struggled to pull her over the side of the ship and down into the boat below. She clawed at the planks of the Black Pearl desperately as she found herself being lowered slowly down to the waters. She would NOT be held captive again.  
  
More of the friendly crew had began the fight with the intruders on deck, while others tried to get the girl back up aboard as Sparrow still lay dazed in a corner. She couldn't just be carried away without at least doing something. But what did she have to work with? Fingernails? Teeth? The teeth may have helped with the Vincent Bolomeir problem, but these fellows looked like it would take a bullet to go through their tough skin. And a bullet was something that she didn't have. The only other thing that came to mind was the accursed thing dangling from her neck. To use that she would need to know how to work it, and that was something she didn't know how to do.  
  
So…how did she do it before? Was it praying that triggered it? Was it her desperateness? Possibly, but what was she doing the moment it went off…besides clinging to that drunken fool of a pirate. She had said something didn't she? Yes, she had said something. She had said, help. She had asked for help, from who she didn't know. So all she had to do was ask an inanimate object for help. Nothing too big. Though she had a feeling that she couldn't just say it without 'believing' in it. The only thing left to do would be to focus. To block out the fact that she was being roughing forced into a boat, yelled at for no reason, and the worry that Jack might not wake up from his dumb state of mind.   
  
Block it all out…the amulet…only the amulet…  
  
"Help…" Ryder whispered in a voice that she could barely hear herself. However soft, that was enough to send the necklace into overdrive. The light, the heat, everything that she felt that night during the storm came racing back. The pendant spun in front of her face faster and faster until it was hard to make out the shape of it. The men around the girl had no time to make any kind of reaction toward the strange image before the world stopped. It all just simply…stopped.  
  
This oddity did nothing to slow Ryder down though. Climbing up the still figures of the men and up on to the safe deck of the Black Pearl, she wound her way through the frozen crew members until she spotted the confused looking Jack Sparrow caught mid blink. Crouching down next to him, the young woman slipped off the glowing stone before looking back and forth between it and Jack.  
  
"Damnable man." she grumbled angrily as she looked down at his face. Did he really give her away to Bolomeir? Would Jack really do that? One of the few things she remembered about that night was getting drunk with the Captain. He wouldn't of…would he? Twisting her face in a grim a determine expression she decided that Jack needed to be woken up. And there was only one way to do that.  
  
Thump.  
  
Ryder swung the amulet back and nailed the pirate squarely on the head with the heated object. Watching with a narrowed eye as he finished his blink and glanced around, the girl decided that he wasn't moving around enough yet. He must need another whack.  
  
Thump.   
  
"The hell?" the man asked gruffly and rose a hand to the forming bump. The teen only stared at him with the necklace swinging in her hand, ready for another hit if necessary. "Wha's goin' on?"  
  
Letting out a frustrated sigh and shaking her head, Ryder stood to her full height and made her way up to the wheel of the ship. Jack was still as sharp as a spoon at the moment and someone needed to get them out of there. Others might have thought to get someone like Ana Maria up and about to make their get away, but Ryder…oh no. As far as she was concerned, she drove it once, she could do it again. That inborn stubbornness that she had dwelling inside her little body was resurfacing with a vengeance during this aggressive mood of hers.   
  
Tapping the pendant against the wheel, Ryder took hold of it quickly as it spun to life and the ship took a lunge to the side. Alright, the Black Pearl was up and about, but what about the Abundance? She couldn't just leave them here could she? Looking down at the still spaced out Jack Sparrow, the girl couldn't help but roll her eyes. Yep, she was definitely on her own on this one. What to do what to do…  
  
It was probably a bad idea. Actually, she knew it was a bad idea, but it was the only one she could work with in her situation. And yes, she still refused to get any of the other crew members to help her out. That day must not have been her most elegant. Pull the Pearl up to the side of the Abundance, hop over, hit the ship and Gibbs with the pendant, than run and hop back to the ship before it away. It wouldn't be that hard…it was only about a five foot gap between the two vessels. She knew she could make it…  
  
"Alright, keep yer wits about ya ol' girl. Easy does it…" Ryder mumbled to herself as she turned the Pearl back towards the motionless ship. This idea would either work or they would end up at the bottom of the ocean. "Jack? You still alive and kickin'?"  
  
"Certainly, love." he responded in a slur that was even bad for him. He was still down for the count and she was still on her own. They were getting closer and closer to the side of the ship and small beads of sweat were starting to make themselves known on Ryder's forehead. She had to get this right or she would tumble into the water and leave the Pearl without a sensible captain.   
  
It all went by in a blur. The two ships rubbed together, the girl jumped, Gibbs was hit with the necklace, the Abundance rolled to life and the teen high tailed it back towards the steady moving Black Pearl. Water was skimmed, fingers dug into the wood work of the ship, and clothes were soaked, but somehow or another the girl managed to scale the side of the ship without much damage. Ha, if Jack could see her now. She didn't need him to haul her up anymore.   
  
Slinging a leg onto the deck, Ryder groaned as she flopped heavily down like a newly caught fish. It took several tries to get back up on her feet and to the helm. Oh the beauties of living with pirates.   
  
"Ryder!" a voice called out from behind. Leaning her head back, the wanted girl looked toward the drunk who was steering the Abundance.  
  
"What?" she screamed back.  
  
"Watch where yer goin', lass!" he warned and tossed a hand out in front of him, pointing at something beyond the Pearl. Narrowing her eyes in a confused gesture, the girl turned her one eyed gaze.  
  
"Oh…" she whispered when she spotted what Gibbs was trying to get across. Rocks. Jagged rocks that were not 100 yards from the still moving forward ship. Turning the wheel sharply to the right, Ryder grimaced when she noticed Jack moving about. This was not something the man needed to wake up to.

* * *

_ Yes indeed, that was not something Jack needed to see at the moment. I thought I had everything under control, and I didn't. I thought I could do that one thing right, and I couldn't. I thought I would be able to get the Black Pearl away from the rocks unscathed…and I didn't. The sickening sound of the ship barreling into the jagged peaks is still enough to bring an embarrassed blush to my face, no matter how much I disapprove of it.   
  
Apparently I wasn't the only one who disapproved of the happenings that day. Captain Jack Sparrow was mad. Very, very mad. So mad in fact that he completely over looked the fact that I probably saved a lot of the crews lives by acting so fast with the necklace. All he could see was the even bigger hole in the side of the Black Pearl. His precious Black Pearl. That ship was the thing that got us started on the conversation that got me into my current position.   
  
We had left the enemy ships far behind by the time that I yelled out my frustrated 'STOP' at the stillness of everything. Then, not only did we have the problem of repairing the Black Pearl, but we also had the problem of going at a reasonably slower pace. 'They'll catch us for sure' he had said. 'We'll never make it to Port Royal in one piece' he had added. Quite the loving man he turned out to be. Not once did ask if I was alright, or if I needed anything. No, in his little mind he thought that if I was fit enough to ram his ship into some rocks I was healthy enough to fend for myself for the time being. But that didn't mean that I would leave him alone. No, no, no, I had questions for Mr. Sparrow that needed answering. Though…the answers weren't exactly what I wanted…_

* * *

"How could you not see the bloody rocks? They were right in front of ya!"   
  
"Well I'm sorry if everything I do is wrong, Jack! Beg pardon for my attempt at gettin' us outta your mess!"  
  
"My mess?" Jack asked and put a hand to his chest. "Well _beg pardon_, darling, but I think it was YOU that they were after, and I think it was YOUR necklace they wanted. I did the gentlemen thing and let you stay aboard as a waste of cargo space, so as far as I know, its your mess."  
  
"Well if you hadn't of been so nice and friendly wit' tha' bar wench, we wouldn't have been in this lil' situation!" Ryder screeched in a not so appealing voice and planted her hand firmly on her hips.  
  
"Ohhh, so its back ta tha' again, eh?" he drawled out with a smug smile on his face. "Don't ya think tha' tha's the pot callin' the kettle black?"  
  
"Wha's that suppose ta mean?" the girl asked with tightening shoulders and a warning glare.  
  
"Oh Charlie, protect me. Lock me in a closet with you while ol' Jack takes care of everything." the pirate mimicked in a high pitched voice and waved his hands around at the sides. Ryder gave an expression that quieted the exclamations of Nero in the next room.  
  
"Do ya actually think I was doin' what you think I was doin' wit' tha' dolt?"  
  
Jack only crossed his arms over his chest stubbornly and looked down at her with an arrogant gaze.  
  
"Jack…tha's crazy!" the girl started up again, obviously infuriated. "You're actin' even more off yer rocker then usual! Me and Charlie…yer….I don't….You're just bein' crazy!" she went on with a stutter before clenching her hands at her sides and sending one last barb his way. "Of course, tha's kinda like sayin' water is wet, isn't it?"  
  
Sparrow only let his mouth slide open and closed a few times at that remark and twisted his face into all different forms at the girls retreating figure. She could feel him staring holes into her back as she trudged up the small stairway, and that only made her even angrier. Angry and him, but also at herself. Why hadn't she asked Jack about her new suspicions? Was she scared, nervous? She didn't really know, but she knew she did have to ask eventually. And what time is better than the present?  
  
Jack had started talking again. She didn't really make out what he said as she turned around to face him with an unreadable look, but he kept going on and on. She had to just spit it out and get it over with. She had to find out. She needed to find out. Jack Sparrow, the man that she let look in on parts of her life that she hadn't shared with anyone else couldn't possibly have…  
  
"Did you tell Bolomeir?"  
  
The mans ramblings stopped dead and his face quickly shifted from anger to shock.  
  
"W-What?"  
  
"Did you tell Vincent Bolomeir about the necklace, Jack?" Ryder questioned again in the now silent space. It was a dramatic scene there in the storage space. Jack was standing at the bottom of the stairs looking up at the young woman while she stood and the top staring down at him with an accusing eye. Some light flowed through the cracks in the door above and flickered across the teenagers face, but she never blinked in response.  
  
"Did you?"  
  
"Why would you think tha'?" Jack asked stiffly.  
  
"Answer the question and then I'll tell you." she shot back just as sternly.   
  
"I…" he started and gripped on the banisters of the staircase with white knuckles. This wasn't good. That look she was giving him wasn't good. She knew. He had never planned on this happening. He had always thought that it would pass over and they wouldn't speak of it again. However, he had kept in mind that Ryder was a sharp girl. She wouldn't just over look the fact that Bolomeir somehow knew the location of the Black Pearl, the necklace, and who had it. He was foolish to think that she would never bring it up.   
  
"You did…didn't a?" her voice interrupted his thoughts and he winced slightly at her words.   
  
"Love, ya gotta understand…the deal, it was all built around your safety. The necklace was all that was up for grabs, if I had thought tha-" Jack started to spill his guts all over the steps, but was stopped short.  
  
"But ya knew there was a chance."  
  
"Of what?"  
  
"Of something happening to me. Ya knew there was a small chance tha' something would happen, and ya took the deal anyway?" as she spoke, Ryder's voice became glazed with a disgusted tone. Did she really began to have feelings for this, this, bastard of a man?  
  
"Ryder, I trusted 'im, it was wrong tha' I did, but I did. If I had known that you-"  
  
Once again, Jack had been cut off. Painfully. He had been slapped many, many times in his life, and each one had its own little sting to it, but this one…this one didn't just sting, it hurt. And it wasn't just his face that hurt either. The young woman hadn't hit him out of jealousy, arrogance, or a petty thing like him stealing something of hers. She hit him because he deserved it. He really, really deserved it. And he felt like shit.  
  
"The next town we get to, I wanna be dropped off." Ryder spoke in a surprisingly even voice. The Captain turned his head slowly back to her with a small shake of his head.  
  
"Love, ya can't-"  
  
"You said yourself we're almost there. We've crossed the bit of water I needed to cross, and I don't need a ship anymore. Me and Nero can make it to Port Royal on our own from 'ere on." she explained. "I don't need your help anymore, Captain."  
  
With those cold words said, Ryder turned slowly and climbed the steps to the deck, leaving Jack below. A few days ago, he was down here smiling to himself because he had done something right in the way of that girl. Today, he was down there cursing himself a thousand times over. This wasn't an argument that could be solved with teases and a kiss on the corner of her mouth.   
  
His Ryder wanted to leave him.   
  
And he didn't blame her for a heartbeat.


	10. Chapter Ten

**

* * *

I'm back! Yippy! Hurray! Huzzha even! If that's how you spell it…oh well, who cares? I'm back! And guess what, I have another chapter! Wheeeee! Whoa…those happy pills are really pumping me up…But if I have a new chapter, that's a good thing right? Right! So, here you go. Read and give me a chance to calm myself down.**

* * *

Chapter Ten  
  
_Back already are you? I'm glad this story is found interesting by someone else other then the few crustaceans that find their way up on the beach. Now that you're here, I guess you want me to finish up with this story don't you? Don't worry, it should be coming to a close pretty soon. After that, I don't know what I'm going to do with my time. Count passing clouds, make tiny boats out of tree leaves…Anyway, back to the story.  
  
I was leaving Jack. I was bound and determined to get rid of that man for good. He had sold me out! I don't think I had, or have, been angrier at anyone else in my life. I was angry, I was annoyed, and worst of all…I was hurt. When I walked out of that storage room that day I promised myself I wouldn't cry, I wouldn't cry. He was just a stupid man, he wasn't worth crying about. However, sometimes I have a way of making myself believe things that aren't true. I wasn't as big and brave as I wanted myself to be, but as long as I was on the Black Pearl I could at least act it.  
  
It was harder then I thought to say goodbye to all the crew members of the Pearl. Cotton and his parrot, Gibbs and his odor, Ana Maria and her sharp tongue, even Charlie and his lecherousness. That next stop came sooner then I thought it would, and to tell the truth…no matter how I felt or what I had said before, I wasn't so keen on leaving Jack. And it wasn't just because he provided a bit of security against the people who were obviously after the necklace. It was something else…and I didn't like that either. I didn't need to be getting that attached to a pirate. After all, even if I had stayed, we would have had to go our separate ways eventually anyway. He lives on the sea, and I live on the land. It just would never work out. He would never stay put in one place, and I wouldn't want to live on a ship for the rest of my life. So, it was better that I left sooner then later, right?  
  
Right now I'm caught in between my thoughts. I suppose I probably would have been better off if I had just gotten over it and stayed with the bastard, but I had to much dignity left. The only problem with that was, that dignity was the thing that got me into this situation…_

* * *

The little speck of houses could hardly count as a town or village at all. A general store between a pasture and a little farm house was all that proved that it was a community at. Cows grazed across the area, no sign of fences keeping them from roaming off. A rickety old dock was all that the Black Pearl and the Abundance had to work with as they pulled off from the choppy waters of the Caribbean. The overcast sky loomed overhead, threatening to let loose the pour of rain that sailors across the waters were preparing for.  
  
That kind of weather suited Captain Jack Sparrows mood perfectly. From his spot up on the helm, he looked down with unreadable eyes as Ryder coaxed Nero up the stairs from the storage space and out on the deck. A plank had been set up, leading from the ship to the dock, and was patiently waiting for the girl to make her way down. For many, many miles, Jack thought to himself that she was bluffing; she was just angry when she said she wanted to leave him. He thought that if he just ignored the next gathering of houses, she would forget also. But once again, the teen was more persistent then he thought. The minute the stale white of the buildings came into view, she had announced it and began to gather her belongings.  
  
Jack hadn't dared to speak to her since the argument below. A few times he had opened his mouth to form words, but they never came out. A few times he had caught her eye, but she just looked away again. A few times he had thought of tell her he was glad that she was leaving, but there was no need to feed her more lies. A few times he had thought of shrugging off his pride and arrogance and actually degrading himself to begging for her to stay, but he was scared.  
  
He had done all of these things, but never once did anything change the look Ryder held on her face. She felt betrayed, and the whole ship was dowsed in silence because of it. No one could think of anything to say, and no one felt that there was the need for off subject chatter. The permanent glare set on their captains face let everyone know that.  
  
"I'll take 'im on down, lass." the sound of Gibbs voice offered when the large horse finally squeezed back through the door. The teenager nodded and dropped the reigns into the scented mans hand before turning toward her few small bags of belongings. Ana Maria stood next to the pile, hands clasped behind her back, face stern. Such a good pirate. Shuffling over to the woman, Ryder let out a heavy sigh.  
  
"Well, Ana Maria," she started. "its been fun."  
  
"No it hasn't." the pirate answered with a small smile on her face. The younger of the two only quirked her lip a bit and glanced down to the dirty planks of the deck.  
  
"I'll miss ya." Ryder stated and took in a deep breath. It would be hard leaving the woman behind. For the first time she had started to make friends with someone other then the people within a five mile radius of her home, and she was leaving them. The irony was aggravating.  
  
"Yeah…" Ana Maria agreed with a brief nod of her head. When this girl first arrived onboard with Jack, the woman wanted to despise her. But it didn't work out that way. Ryder didn't turn out to be a complete land-goer like she thought. With work, the girl would be a fine pirate, but that work was something that shouldn't be done.  
  
The goodbye hug was quick and painless. A fast wrapping of arms and the two females separated to opposite sides of the ship. Ana Maria to the left, and Ryder to the right toward the gangplank with bags in hand. Most of the crew, including Charlie, were there to see her off…except for Jack. The captain stood motionless by the wheel, hands gripping the wood in a stubborn manner, but the girl could feel his eyes drilling into her back as she slowly stepped down the long stretch of plank. She wouldn't look at him, she wouldn't look at him. She promised herself over and over that she wouldn't turn around and take one last glance at Jack Sparrow.  
  
But promises were made to be broken. When the creaking of the worn out dock reached her ears, Ryder peeked over her shoulder to be immediately met by the dark eyes of the captain. It was hard to tell what exactly he was thinking behind the chocolate orbs, but she was pretty sure she didn't want to know. If it was happiness that she would no longer be traveling with him or sadness of her leaving, she didn't want to know either. Things were too complicated as it was.  
  
The stare was over faster then they wanted it to be. Thunder cracked through the sky from the north, making the girl look skittish next to the still calm horse beside her. A large hand rested on her jumpy form, bringing her eye darting to the side.  
  
"Alright?" Charlie asked from behind.  
  
"Yeah…yeah I'm fine."  
  
"Are you gonna_ be_ alright?" he asked again with hidden meanings in his tone. For a few seconds, Ryder just stared up at Charlie, feeling vulnerable as ever. Was she going to be alright? Could she make it to Port Royal and back without Jack's help? She had her doubts…and they overrode most of her optimistic thoughts. Never seeing Jack again. It hadn't really sunk in yet.  
  
"I'll be fine, Charlie." she reassured and turned away from the messy haired young man. Taking the reigns from Gibbs with a small smile, Ryder took a few deep breaths before guiding the horse over the splintered dock.  
  
She really was leaving.  
  
That thought ran through both Jack and her mind as she walked away. Neither one knew if they would see each other again, or if they did, if they would be on friendly terms. She could hear the crew make their way back up onto the Black Pearl over the growing winds. If she were to change her mind, it would have to be soon. Once the Pearl set out again, those winds would send it flying, and they would be gone. Out of reach. And she would be on her own. Again.  
  
A voice screamed in the back of her head to stop and turn around, go back to the ship! Her mind may have thought it was a good idea to go back, but her feet wouldn't listen. That inborn stubbornness was once again taking hold of her, and she wouldn't let herself go back. That would mean she needed help. And she didn't. Did she?  
  
"Course not." she answered her own question as she stepped off the dock and onto the moist ground in front of her. Nero trudged on right behind her, still limping a tad from his bad leg. A loud scraping sound rushed across the water as the gang plank was pulled away from the dock and the Black Pearl was shoved away from land. The sails snapped from side to side in the wind as Jack steered the ship out, his feet planted stiffly in place.  
  
It took a lot for her not to look behind her until she made it to the trees outside of the little gathering of homes. When she was finally hidden from site by the massive trees, she stared out to the water as the black ship sailed away. Away from her. A burning sensation ran through her body as the fact finally took effect. Jack was gone. He wasn't coming back. He wouldn't be there the next time she needed someone to haul her over a huge log, or ward off drunken men in bars. She would be on her own from now on. When she first decided she was leaving she was sure that she would be able to make it on her own. But as the Black Pearl disappeared behind the turn of land, she suddenly felt very…heartbroken.  
  
Heartbroken? Over Jack Sparrow? Surely not…right? Alright, maybe she had a tinge of feelings for the pirate, but he didn't break her heart, he only betrayed her. He would have had to have her heart to break it, and he never had it. Did he? Shaking off the foolish emotions with a snap of her head, Ryder turned and continued on through the clump of trees that lay before them. A few days walk was all it would take to get to Port Royal, what could happen between now and then? Ryder didn't want to think about it.  
  
"We can do this, Nero. We'll be alright." she mumbled and patted the horses neck, receiving a grunting sound from the animal as if he were saying, 'yeah, sure, keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better.'

* * *

"Where we headed Cap'n?" Ana Maria asked in a nearly cheerful voice as she stared out at the sea through the telescope. When no answer came from the man, she lowered the object from her eye and looked up at him.  
  
She was really gone. The barrel that rested next to the mast was left abandoned, no longer holding up the teenager who thumped her heels against the wood when she was bored. There was no humming of old pirate songs, or loud sighs of wanted attention. There was no sound of the necklace clattering together as she fumbled with it in her hands like she often did when there was nothing better to do. No goofy grin beaming up at him, and no partially scarred face that he had grown accustom to. She wasn't standing behind him gazing out at the ocean, or down in the below decks tending to her horse.  
  
She was gone.  
  
He heard the question, along with the happy tone that came with it. Somehow he couldn't bring himself to answer right away. Starting another journey to another far away place would truly mean he was leaving Ryder behind, that he was moving on. And he didn't want to do that just yet. There was an aching feeling in the pit of his stomach whenever he looked down at the girls barrel and didn't see her. What if something happened to her? After all, she was only 17 and there were probably hundreds of pirates and thieves out there searching for her and that little trinket of hers. She didn't have any weapons, no fighting skills, and she wasn't even that fast of a runner. With that horse still down from the injured leg, the girl was left to fend for herself. And he had let her go. He had actually let her go without thinking about the consequences. What was wrong with him?  
  
"Cap'n?" a woman's voice asked again, this time a bit louder. "Jack?"  
  
"Yeah?" he finally answered and dragged his eyes away from the barrel.  
  
"We have any plan as to where we're goin', or are we jus' gonna drift around aimlessly?" Ana Maria asked sarcastically with a quirked eyebrow.  
  
"Uh…" Jack fumbled out. The woman placed her hands on her hips and waited for an answer. She was afraid this was going to happen. That girl had been gone for only a few hours and he was already starting to go numb from the neck up.  
  
"Tortuga?" she suggested. A small shake of the head was all the response she got from the captain.  
  
"England?"  
  
Another head shake.  
  
"Singapore?"  
  
Another rejection.  
  
"Mexico?"  
  
That idea was also shot down. For a few seconds, Ana Maria hesitated then sighed out.  
  
"Port Royal?" This idea made Jack think for a while. The girl was headed to Port Royal. But…that would be too obvious if he just showed up in the place he knew she would be. She would think him pathetic. She would think that he _needed_ to see her. Humph, needed to see her. Captain Jack Sparrow, needing to see a scrawny teenager who wouldn't know a schooner from a barge. Please…why would he need to see that _girl_ when he had plenty of _women_ fawning all over in in Tortuga? Captain Jack Sparrow was a woman's man, not a girls man. But…  
  
Then why couldn't he stop staring at the barrel by the mast?  
  
"Jack?" Ana Maria asked, snapping him out of his zoned out state of mind.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Port Royal?" she questioned again with an agitated look on her face.  
  
"Oh, right. Sure…to Port Royal." he agreed with a small smile and a nod of his head. The female pirate stared at him for a few moments, trying to figure out what was rolling through the gears of his mind. She could guess that the main thing that occupied his thoughts started and ended with the letter 'r'. Shaking her head like a disappointed mother, Ana Maria turned swiftly and went back to her duties, announcing the destination to the crew.  
  
Meanwhile, Jack was trying to convince himself that he wasn't going to Port Royal just to see Ryder. Will Turner. He hadn't seen ol' Will for quite some time. Sure…that's a good reason to go. Then of course he wanted to see lovely Elizabeth again. Maybe they were married? Who knew? But he would find out if he went to Port Royal. Yep, that was why he was going. To see Will and Elizabeth. Absolutely. If he happened to run into Ryder on the street one day, so be it. He probably wouldn't even see her; Port Royal was a big town after all.  
  
A deep sigh escaped Jacks mouth and his shoulders dropped slightly. He could only keep up this denial for so long before he started screaming out the truth to someone. She'd only been gone for a few hours, just a few hours, and look what had happened to him. Was it because she left hating him, and cursing him to the pits of hell? That could be the reason that he was missing the irritating tap she made on the side of the barrel. Was it because she was out there in the wilderness by herself, now bound and determined to refuse help from anyone? Another reason that he was missing her tuneless humming.  
  
The day was turning out horrible, and the small drops of rain that collided with his hat were only making it worse. The seas were choppy, weather worsening, and his girl was gone. What a time to run out of rum.

* * *

Trees. She was starting to despise the things. Big ones, small ones, they were all becoming extremely frustrating. People would think that after being around pirates, men and women who can find their way across an ocean that looks the same in every direction, she could have picked up something by now. But, no. She was still as terrible as picking up directions as she was the day she set off on this trick. The faint sound of the ocean off to her right signaled that she was at least on the right track, but sometimes the rushing of the tide faded off and she would once again be lost in the city of pine and bark.  
  
They had only been walking for a few hours, but it seemed like days. Mud clung to the bottoms of her shoes and Nero's hooves as they went, slowing down their pace substantially. Rain fell through the tree tops, thumping down on their heads with no mercy. Shelter, they needed to find some sort of shelter before full night took over and they were left trapped in the maze of a forest. A cave, a huge over hanging branch, anything would do at the moment. Grumbling to herself she thought back to when she would hide below deck whenever rain showers poured down on them aboard the Black Pearl.  
  
No.  
  
She didn't need to be thinking about the Black Pearl. Thoughts of the ship always led to Jack. Thinking of Jack was not something she needed to be doing at them moment. She didn't need to be distracted by the thought of being safely secure in her cabin aboard the Pearl, or being teased by the captain, or rolling her eye at a comment he made just to get a rise out of her. Those things would only make this being on her own thing a lot worse.  
  
But she did think of those things. Jack Sparrow was still drifting around her like a fog, and that fog was blurring her clear vision. His salty scent still rested on her clothing, and the rum that was permanently dried on his lips still tingled on her tongue. Every now and then she would find a long strand of black hair on her sleeve or on her bags. He was still everywhere, and she didn't like it. She needed to rid herself of his taste and odor. She needed to get rid of him all together!  
  
A sour look spread across her face as she thought these things through. How is it that whenever you want to escape something or someone, things never go as you want. But somehow, ironically, when you never want to be away from them, they always seem to disappear? That question was the story of her life. She never wanted to be parted from her nanny, and she died. She never wanted to out live her parents, and she had. She wanted to get rid of the accursed amulet that started all of this, and low and behold it was still dangling around her neck. Last but not least, she wanted to get rid of Jack. She wanted him out of her sight and mind. And, yet, he was still there, stronger then ever.  
  
"Damnable man." she huffed out exhaustedly before plopping down on a long dead log. The horse behind her gave a grateful snort before lowering his head to enjoy some of the small patches of grass along the little trail. The sun had slowly began to drifted down over the tree tops and now threatened to slip fully below the horizon. Soon, night would be upon them, and she would be left defenseless in the darkness of the woods.  
  
Alone.  
  
Without Jack.  
  
Pulling her knees up to her chest, Ryder rested her cheek against them. Taking a deep breath in she let Nero's reigns drop from her loose grip and moved her hands up over her head in a bit of a shameful position. Then as the crickets chirped around her and the other nocturnal creatures came out from their daytime hiding spots, the girl let everything crash down around her for a few minutes of helplessness and let out what she had been holding back since she had last talked with Jack Sparrow.  
  
She cried.

* * *

**I know, I know. Short and boring. But, I guess you could call this a transition chapter, and usually those are kind of short and boring. In this one you learn more about how they feel about each other I guess. I never really wrote as much about their feelings in the other chapters, so in this one it's a pretty easy going, emotional ride. So, even if you didn't enjoy it, the next chapter will be better. And it will be written a lot faster if you REVIEW!!!!!**


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Holy fish paste in Heaven, I'm back! Deary me, how long has it been since I've updated this story? I can't even remember so that means it must have been a pretty long and boring wait for you people, and for that I apologize. I just haven't had the 'umph' to do any writing as of late, but now I'm ready and rearin' to go! So, finally, here's the new chapter, enjoy!**

Chapter Eleven

_What took you so long? I'm not used to waiting this long to tell my little tale, and you decided to run off and leave me right at the best part. Exactly how I got onto this God forsaken spot of land. I've been here for a few days now and even though the view is something spectacular, its become pretty old. Not a ship has passed by since I've been here and that fact isn't giving me much hope of being rescued. No one is looking for me, if they were they don't know where to look, I'm running out of fresh water, and I can't find one of my shoes. All in all, this isn't the best situation I've been in. Well, how about I stop jabbering and finish up this story, eh? _

_

* * *

_

Ryder dragged her feet lamely along the worn path, leaning lazily against Nero. She had been forced to walk her way to Port Royal with the horses' injury, and if she had known just how it felt to have to walk so many miles, she would have had more sympathy for horses. She had a splinter in her heel, several cuts on her ankles, and a banged up tow from a terribly placed rock. Her hair was matted with filth and her clothing was stained so much that the stains would probably have to be scrubbed out with a horse brush. Dirt caked the underside of her fingernails as she gripped Nero's reigns in one hand and held a walking stick she had picked up along the way in the other.

So far she had been walking for a few days and luckily hadn't come across any hostile travelers. A few small villages with warm inns and beds were tempting, but unfortunately she had to resist every time. The little pouch on her makeshift belt could only hold so much money and she didn't need to waste it on a comfy place to sleep. Beneath a tree or hunkered up against her horse was good enough for the time being.

"Ow," the girl whimpered when a stick poked her leg roughly as she passed. Wiping away the small amount of blood from the tiny cut, she grunted and plopped herself down on the a fallen log near the edge of the tree line. The stallion followed obediently and stood motionless at her side while she once again attempted to pull the splinter from her tender foot.

Over the days she had thought less and less of Jack Sparrow. Every now and then there would be something that passed her way that would spark up a memory of a conversation they had, or something he had said, but those things always passed, as did she. Oddly enough, after the first night by herself she didn't find herself missing him all that much. Perhaps that was a sign that it wasn't love at all, she was just lonely. It was a good explanation for the matter, but all the while a small voice in the back of her head was still screaming out that she was just fooling herself. Could her irrational stubbornness hide away her feelings for Jack so she could focus on staying alive and or in once piece? It was a possibility, but Ryder liked the other reason better.

"So, I don't suppose you know where we are, do ya?" she asked Nero, tilting her head up to look at the blue sky that was slowly being taken over by a wonderful orange from the setting sun. The horse only grunted at her question.

Letting out a sigh, Ryder hunched her back and rested her elbows on her knees. The amulet dangled from her neck, hovering above her arms as if to simply remind the girl that it was still there. More then a few times she had been tempted to throw the thing off into the trees so she could be done with this whole absurd situation, but she just could never bring herself to do it. Was she becoming attached to the little trinket? If she was, she had no idea why. It could possibly have been that she felt that she had a duty to go through with taking the thing to Port Royal like she told the old woman, or maybe it was because it had saved her life and many other lives so many times.

Either way, her thoughts were shattered by a roll of thunder from behind. Another storm was making its way in fast and they hadn't even found a camp spot yet. Taking to her feet again, Ryder snatched up Nero's reigns and cantered down the path, searching for a suitable place to rest for the night. The rushing sound of the ocean came from one side of her and the cricket filled forest rested at her other. If there was a sudden down pour she would need to get away from the water. There was no need to drown in a flash flood.

BOOM!

Another crack of thunder rattled her bones and sent her into a little jump. Nero shifted back and forth in an anxious manner, his eyes wide. Seems that the girl wasn't the only one that felt the upcoming storm. Ryder continued on, her legs moving as fast as they could without sending her horse into a run. Trees, trees, trees. That's all that she saw and none of them looked as if they would provide a proper shelter. Glancing up to the sky, she noticed a bit of cloud cover peeking its way over the trees signaling that the brunt of the weather was close behind.

"Come on," Ryder mumbled when she spotted a smaller trail that broke off from the one they were currently walking. There had to be something around that would save them from outdoors. Suddenly, a beam of hope ran through Ryder's eye. Up ahead a few hundred yards was a small tightly packed group of trees. Granted it wasn't something as luxurious as a cave, but it would have to make due. Luckily she caught sight of this location before a sheet of rain was dropped down on the forest, obscuring most of her vision. Ryder, Nero, and all their belongings were instantly drenched, and the mud below their feet was soon as mushy as mashed potatoes.

The small young woman trudged through the muck, trying to keep her slip on shoes on her feet in the process. However, the mixture of rain fall and her bad eye proved to be too much and she soon tripped on an upturned root and fell face first into the mud. For a few seconds she almost expected Nero to run off in fright of the storm, but he loyally stayed by her side, prancing about like the nervous animal he was. As Ryder lay there in the mud with the rain thumping down on her back, she suddenly remembered an incident from a few weeks ago that had to do with mud.

_"I know I'm hard ta resist love, but try ta control yerself until we get some alone time eh?"_

_"I'm, really…sorry Jack. It was an accident."_

_"No, no…not my hat!"_

Jack and her had rolled around in the mud for a good five minutes during that little journey. As she remembered, they both ended up on their butts with Ana Maria staring down on them with an amused expression on her face. Back then it was a fun experience in the mud, but this time it was only loneliness and sorrow. Squinting her eyes closed for a brief moment, the girl took in a deep breath and began to pull herself up slowly from the mud and water. Her mothers garment was even more dirtied then it was to begin with, but at the moment Ryder didn't care.

Finding her footing, she stood to her tiny full height and downheartedly grabbed for Nero, yanking him in the direction of the close gathering of trees. Lightning shot down from the heavens followed by a loud drum of thunder. However, this time the girl didn't make any motion to jump or squeal at the loud noise. Her mud covered face was tilted down to the ground as she walked on, her expression unreadable by anyone that would see her. It was strange how when things are sunny and delightful outside, you don't feel lonesome or longing, but once the rain started pour down and the skies grew dark all those feelings climbed back to the surface.

Before the retreated into the shelter of the trees, the suction of the mud grabbed onto Ryder shoe and made her collide with the ground once again with a loud slap. This sort of abuse was enough to discourage a girl, but no, she pulled herself up with the same will she had before, and grabbed her shoe free from the mud. Limping on into the shelter behind Nero with one bare foot, she looked up at the tree tops watching for a few moments how the rain hammered through the branches and leafs. As she stared up, she couldn't help but wonder what the captain was doing. Was he laughing it up with the crew at her expense? Was he drinking at some pub with every waitress hanging all over him? Thinking about such things made her cringe in both jealousy and anger. Why was she thinking about him still?

Sliding into the trees, she eased herself down on the amazingly dry ground and pulled her knees up to her chest to conserve the warmth. She had a feeling she would be needing it tonight.

* * *

Jack Sparrow was warm, drinking, surrounded by beautiful and willing women, other pirates, and he was completely and utterly…miserable. Though the rum was good, the women luscious and the pirates entertaining, he didn't feel right being there. After few days, the crew had insisted that they take a well deserved break for the night and stay at an inn. He was quick to agree. At the moment anyway. Now that he was there and in the cheerful atmosphere he found himself looking over his shoulder, expected that clumsy girl to trip her way down the stairs and give him a small glare then a glare. Many times he hand glanced to his side wanting to see that funny little drunk he only got to observe once, throwing her arms around him and giggling at nothing in particular. He thought he would she her suddenly come up from behind him and frighten off one of the whores that sauntered past him, but she never came. 

And she would never come.

Taking a hearty drink of his rum, Jack slid down in his chair with his hat falling over his face. His crew was scattered all over the inn either sleeping, taking advantage of the pleasurable company, or simply getting drunk before having to go back out on the seas. They were all laughing and having a great ol' time all except him that is, and oddly enough, Ana Maria.

The woman was sitting in the corner of the pub, arms crossed over her chest and a mug of rum clutched in her hand. Every now and then she would raise it to take a sip, but she was mostly glaring directly at Jack Sparrow. He didn't know exactly why she was doing this, but he had a few good guesses. The female pirate could possibly have been watching him to see if he would go along with life and give that smirk to any wench that passed his way. Seeing it that Ana Maria didn't make a move since they had been there, she was probably satisfied that Jack didn't just forget Ryder immediately.

Oh no, he wouldn't do that even if he wanted to. And to be honest, over the past few days he wanted to forget the girl a few times. She had been distracting him from his pirate lifestyle so much it was beginning to get to him. He found himself not staring at other women as much as he used to, he didn't go for days and days without washing at least one piece of his clothing, and he didn't drink as much. That fact really startled not only him, but the crew as well. They were all used to seeing Jack Sparrow stumbling around with a bottle of rum in his hand, and without it…it just seemed wrong.

"Well hello there, Captain," a sultry voice stated from behind him before pair pale and obviously female arms wound their way over his shoulders. Some people may have been alarmed when a stranger knew what and who they were, but not Jack. He wasn't surprised to hear that a passing lady knew who he was, after all, he was Captain Jack Sparrow.

"Hello, darling," Sparrow muttered back, his voice lacking the same enthusiasm it had back in the day when women approached him.

"What's wrong," the unknown woman asked, "need more rum?"

"My apologies," Jack said as he shrugged off her arms and took a sip from his still half full mug. He blinked his eyes in a tired manner and glanced over in Ana Maria's direction where she sat with a small smile on her face. He swore that woman was so confusing sometimes. One day she wanted him to dump Ryder off on an island, the next she wanted him to be faithful to her. He just did not understand women sometimes. The woman at his back gave an unpleasant sound and determinedly wrapped her arms back around the captain. When the pirate felt her mouth hovering close to his ear, he was about to open his mouth to say something but was cut short when her voice whispered in a hissing tone.

"Ah, so you miss that lil' wench of yours then?"

Jacks eyes widened in realization. He knew that voice from somewhere. That same seductive, yet menacing sound was something he'd heard before, but where? It was then that he saw a man across the room, staring at him with an icy gaze. He seemed familiar as well. Pulling out of the woman's grasp, Jack spun around in his seat to gaze upon her. Bright green eyes was all that he saw for a moment and all the memory flooded back in. That waitress from the inn before. The one that Ryder argued with. That man, he was the captain from the ship that was looking for the girl.

"What's the matter, Jack Sparrow?" a mans voice brought Jack to turn back around, "Having a small case of déjà vu?"

The enemy captain. His oily face and leaned over Jack's table, staring down at him with disgusting serpentine eyes. Long black hair hung loosely over his well dressed shoulders and almost brushed over the table top. Without another word, the unnamed captain sat himself down in the chair across from Sparrow, clasping his hands casually in front of him. The whore kept her hands on Jacks shoulders, but it was clear now that her attention was on the new captain at the table.

"Who the bloody hell are you people?" Jack asked setting his mug down with a loud bang, bringing a few eyes his way. The yellow eyed man just simply smiled and shrugged.

"You may call me, Victor, Captain Sparrow," he started then gestured gracefully up to the woman, "and this is Patricia. Though I think you two may have already become acquainted."

"You could say that," Patricia purred and leaned back down toward Jack, making him push her away again with disapproving eyes. A few of the Black Pearls and Abundance crew members had turned their heads toward the table, but knew better then to intrude on something that could start an all out war in the inn. For now they thought it wise to sit back and eavesdrop.

"You must excuse the lady. She can't help herself," Victor went on, "Well, I suppose we should get down to business."

"Business?" Jack questioned, perking a brow.

"Oh there are so many things we have to discuss, Jack. The location of that girl, her amulet, the killing of my brother, its your decision," he listed and slowly stood up, waving his hands back and forth as he went.

"Killing?" the rum scented man asked again with one word.

"Don't play stupid!" Victor lashed out, his anger finally showing on his face as he pounded his fists on the table. Jack stayed relatively unmoving, but his mind was spinning, desperately trying to figure out what the strange man wanted. As far as he knew, Jack had never seen the man before. Except for the little incident with the ships. Could that be the whole source of the rage? No, surely not. Sparrow narrowed his eyes ever so slightly and studied Victors features.

"What be your last name, mate?" Jack asked, tilting his head to the side, avoiding Patricia's lips in the process. Inside, the captain of the Black Pearl was laughing. Oh, he could picture the look on his little Ryder's face if she saw this.

"Come now, Captain, I know for a fact you're not as dense as you're pretending," the other man chuckled lightly then sat back into his seat. As if mocking, Victor also tilted his head and stared over at the male across the table with a small grin.

"Victor Bolomeir?" Jack quirked his brow and was rewarded with a brief nod and a small glare from the other man. "Ah, so the puzzle all comes together."

"Indeed," Victor growled, his anger rising once again.

"So, that's what this is all about, eh?"

"Not just that, Captain Sparrow," the man continued, "You see, since my younger brother was unable to keep the amulet in his possession for long, he wasn't able to use it to its full, glorious potential. So, in dear Vincent's memory I need to accumulate that trinket, and to do so I need to know the location of that girl."

Jack only stared at him with a small smirk and unreadable eyes.

"Where is she, Sparrow?" Victor questioned leaning his elbows on the table.

Silence.

"Is she here?"

Nothing.

"Is she on the ship?" his voice was beginning to tremble in slight rage.

Only a smirk.

"WHERE IS SHE YOU BASTARD SEA DOG!?" senior Bolomeir howled and pounded his fist loudly on the table, bringing more then a few eyes to glance his way.

"I haven't the foggiest," Jack finally spoke again in an even voice that made some of his crew that were listening smile in amusement. Victor stared down at him for a few moments before huffing and standing to his full height. Turning on the crowd that had gathered, he put on a greasy smile and rang out his offer.

"Maybe some of you fine gentlemen…" he started then spotted Ana Maria, "and ladies, can give me a helping hand. I'm looking for a girl about so tall," he marked the middle of his chest with his flattened hand, "Brownish colored hair, blue eyes, and is usually adorned with an eye patch of sorts."

As he spoke, Victor slowly walked around the room, eyeing everyone of the occupants in the area. Some of them were too drunk to care what was going on, some were interested in the probable reward they would receive if they were to find this girl, and some were glancing back and forth nervously. Those being the ones that had indeed seen Jack Sparrow with this said girl.

"Around her neck, she should be wearing an odd piece of jewelry. Oval in shape and the color of…" Victor came to a stop by a particularly grubby man who was coated in what could be called a layer of top soil. "dirt."

"What if we 'ave seen 'er?" a rough male voice called out over the audience making a few of the others mumble.

"If, indeed, you have seen this girl you would be asked to give information on her whereabouts."

"And what if we do give ya the information? What's in it fer us?" the same voice went on and a rather large, muscular man shoved his way through the crowd and crossed his massive arms over his chest. Jack sat relax in his chair with Patricia still hanging over his shoulder. However, inside his nerves were trembling. Did this sad excuse for a man really know where Ryder was? If so, Jack had a problem on his hands. Not only would he have to track the girl down, but he would have to beg on hands and knees for her to forgive him and get back aboard the Pearl before one of those buggers came around took adaptable of the girls vulnerability. The thought of both that and having to beg for forgiveness sent a chill up Jacks spine.

"If you cooperate…" senior Bolomeir turned slightly and gestured to the blonde woman, bringing her to force herself off of Jack. As she sauntered her way over, most of the men in the room were ripping her clothes off with their despicable eyes, and judging by her expression she wasn't minding a bit. Sparrow chuckled a tad. Birds of a feather he supposed. When Patricia finally reached her captains side she grabbed on to a tiny chain around her neck, pulling a presumed necklace out from under her garments. On the end of the fragile chain was a key, nothing more, nothing less.

"Wha' the bloody 'ell is tha'?" a different man yelled, obviously expecting something a little bit more.

"This," Victor started and took the silver key in his hand, "is the key to my little 'trove' of treasures I have picked up over the years. It goes to whomever brings me back the girl."

"Trove of treasures?" the burly man mumbled, "How are we 'spose ta know if yer tellin' us the truth or not?"

"Well, there's no way really. You'll just have to trust that I am a man of my word. Besides, you've already had a small glimpse of what you'll receive after that girl is mine," with that, the enemy captain ran a hand down the bare shoulder of Patricia hoping that the men would get the hint. Their changed expressions told him immediately that they did, "Not all treasures are made of metals and minerals, men."

Jack Sparrow narrowed his eyes, as did the rest of his loyal crew. Things were beginning to get serious. People were starting to go to such great lengths to get a hand on Ryder and that necklace of hers, and eventually someone was bound to be successful. Again, Jack cursed himself for letting her go off on her own so easily. He knew there were dangers out there that a girl like she couldn't handle. And he had a feeling that one of those dangers was standing about ten feet from him with a blonde whore wrapped around him like a mink fur.

"Don't look so worried, Captain Sparrow," Victors voice jarred him from his thoughts. "I'll be sure not a hair on her head is harmed. You have my word."

"No offense to you, Victor, but while dealing with your younger sibling I got the impression that the Bolomeir's tend to change their view on honesty every few hours," Jack slurred out giving the standing man a death glare.

"Jack, Jack, Jack," Victor shook his head and clasped his hands behind his back, "So untrusting. Why would I want the girl harmed when she is the only one that can share the secret of the amulet? It would be foolish to simply kill her off from plain anger. A captain must think things through, he must plan, and strategize. Certainly you know that."

"Aye," Sparrow murmured in a soft voice and glanced down to the floor. Think things through…Either Victor knew about the moment in time when Jack didn't think things through, or he was just lucky to push one of his buttons.

"Even as we speak some of my crew is scourging the coast in search of the young woman, and in time she will be back and safe from the elements. Don't you agree, Captain Sparrow?" Victor turned with a grin but he received no response. By the time Bolomeir had finished the sentence, Jack and his able bodied crew were out the door and headed to the Black Pearl and the Abundance.

* * *

Off in the maze of pine and maple, the sound of light breathing and the snorts of a horse could be made out of the soft rush of the ocean near by, and the wave of rain that still poured outside. Under the cover of branches and packed leafs, Ryder and Nero slumbered, sprawled out in all directions. The girl hand one leg flopped over the animals back and a hand resting on the creatures nose. Nero's legs were pointed in all different directions and his mouth was agape letting out deep, grunting breaths. If horses were suppose to sleep standing up most of the time, no one told him about it.

Through the night, Ryder had been woken up several times by a random crash of thunder, or bolt of lightning that lit up the forest, but eventually she did find some peace and drifted off to sleep. Yes, she was a bit hesitant about sleeping out in the woods alone while she was so vulnerable, but what could she do? People needed to sleep…especially when they were traveling by themselves with a lame horse and one good eye.

Suddenly, a loud noise rang through the trees, shaking some of the leafs from the branches causing water to pour down upon the sleeping pair. Nero instantly shook awake and climbed to his feet in a second. Ryder on the other hand merely rolled over and tossed an arm over her head. The horse began stepping back and forth uneasily as yet another sound rose up. Again, the girl just moved in her sleep before returning back to a resting state. The black stallion grunted and huffed in a rising panic as the sounds came closer and closer by the second. It was only when a voice yelled something unrecognizable that the teen rolled to her side and bolted up. Her first instinct was to wonder why the hell she was soaked to the bone, but her second seemed like the better thing to do.

Slowly standing from her laid down position, Ryder peeked her head out from the small shelter ever so carefully. Nothing was noticeable through the rain, but she could hear voices. Male voices…coming in her direction. A panicked expression forced its way onto her face and she backed inside before dropping to the ground and pulling her knees up to her chest, hoping that whoever they were would just pass by. Luckily, Nero got the hint and remained fairly silent as the strangers wandered nearer. Grabbing the amulet in her fist, Ryder bit her bottom lip as three or four people sloshed by laughing about something unknown. From the looks of them and by the sound of their voices, she guessed they were men, and that fact made her sink deeper into the darkness of the shelter. Why didn't she have Jack teach her some self defense?

A sigh escaped her now parted lips when she no longer heard the chattering of the men, but that was changed abruptly when Nero let out an unsolicited sneeze. The girl winced and glared daggers at the horse. However, when no voices or footsteps were heard she smiled and blessed the rain that turned out to be bittersweet. Perhaps it hindered the men from hearing the noise.

" 'ello, girl," a voice hissed from behind her. Turning on her heel so fast she slipped in the mud, Ryder's eye widened in fright when she saw the men huddled around the back of her little shelter, peering in from between the branches. A few moments of silence past before all hell seemed to break loose for the girl.

The leafs, sticks, and branches were pulled away from her fortress and weapons were drawn, ready to bring her down. Nero raised his large form to his hind legs, breaking away the upper limbs and leaving Ryder with enough room to clumsily climb onto the horses back, leaving her belongings behind. They bounded onto the path and quickly made their way through the trees, leaving the men in pursuit. Unfortunately, Nero's powerful hooves stood no chance against the slippery wetness of the ground, and the chase was too fair for Ryder's liking. Rain stung her eyes and the wind whipped violently at her face bringing her to push her head down leaving Nero to guide them through.

It was probably about the time that they hit a patch of dangerous mud and knew that the getaway wouldn't go as planed, when the horses back legs slipped out from under him and his front ones went to either side sending him and his owner skidding off the back and over the wet grass. The sloping hill was the beginning of the end for the partnership between horse and rider. They fell and fell until the ground leveled out where the sea crashed furiously against the wall of silt and dirt. Hooves dug into the mud and hands gripped desperately and reigns and hair, but only one of the two was able to remain on the cliff.

"Nero!" Ryder shrieked with a raw throat. But she did not cry for his sake…but for hers. Her small hands grasped the leather reigns of the bridle tightly as she hung like a rag doll off the side of the deadly drop. Her feet clawed at the side of the cliff, trying to pull herself back up. Above, the horse held his ground with his neck straining to keep the bridle from sliding off his head and bringing his girl into the choppy waters below. Ryder pulled herself up painfully before she fell back, loosing her shoe in the process. Watching it fall from the great height, the young woman swallowed and looked up at the animal.

"Don't move, lass!" a mans voice screamed out from behind them, pistol in hand. If the situation hadn't been so treacherous, Ryder would have made a snide comment about the fact that she was currently dangling from a deathly height, but at this moment she simply gritted her teeth in frustration. Once again there was an uncomfortable stand still between the two party's. The men were trying to figure out what to do about the situation. They weren't suppose to help her were they? After all, they were suppose to be the bad men. Ryder's thoughts didn't stray to far from theirs. Whilst one hangs from a horse off a cliff, they are obligated to think about what to do.

"Tha's it, move it along!" an impatient man yelled before firing his weapon a few feet from Nero, hoping to rush the horse into pulling back. The only thing it did was cause the man to be beaten down by his other group members and send the animal into a fit which brought on the falling of the two escapees.

**Oh dear, what will become of Ryder and Nero? Find out in the next installment of 'On the Line of Love and Hate'! But, uh, before you do that…REVIEW!!!!**


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Ahhhh! Holy crap! What the hells going on? I thought I was dead! No, no, I wanna go back to being dead. All the fun people are in hell! I have a poker game at 6! I bet my Chuck Taylors, if I don't show it's an automatic forfeit! Nooo, I can't loose my shoes!……Ah, well. Perhaps you nice people can start a fund raiser for me after you read this brand spankin' new chapter I just spit out…**

Chapter Twelve

Something tickled Ryder's nose. It was cool and wet, yet did not come within an inch of being refreshing. It was there, then it was gone, then it was back again. The repetitiveness of it alone stirred the girl from her deep, heavy slumber that had placed her in an odd position. Though her eyes were not open, she could feel her arms were flung across something rough and large that stretched down the length of her resting body, while her legs were twisted in different directions. Her limbs attempted to move from side to side, but that only brought about a small moan in pain from the stiff joints and muscles. What had happened to her to cause her this much pain? As her consciousness rolled back around, she could tell her mind was jumbled terribly. Sounds didn't make sense, smells were dull yet overpowering, and her nerves were firing at will.

Forcing herself away from the still unknown object, the girl lay sprawled out on her back, eyes immediately rejecting the abrupt contact with the sun. Throwing an arm over her face, she licked her desperately dry lips with a groan. What had happened last night? Did she get drunk? No…this was far worse than anything she had the day after drinking with Jack. Instead of just a swimming head and a stomach that wouldn't keep itself steady, she had aches and pains up and down her little body. It felt as if she had fallen onto a solid rock ground. The odd thing was that beneath her was the warm, smooth grain of a beach. Surely she hadn't gotten so banged up by tripping on something and falling onto a beach. Unless, of course, she was forgetting something. And from the way her head was pounding, that was a very real possibility.

Slowly leaning upwards, dragging her upper body into a sitting position, the young woman peeled her eyelids open bit by bit until she was finally able to make out the slightly blurred objects that were surrounding her. Palm trees, sand, more palm trees, a crab, and some more sand. A careful turn of the head revealed the waters of the ocean behind her, some of the cool liquid washing up onto the shore and teasing at her before descending back to the depths. Alright, she was still on the coast, nothing too different. However, something that startled her was the fact that she couldn't she the continuation of the land mass as she looked down the beach. It only curved to the side and disappeared…

A lump had formed deep in Ryders throat by the time she was finished surveying her surroundings. Something wasn't right. And where was Nero? He was usually trailing right along next to her. He wouldn't have wandered off now would he? Swallowing deeply, she shook her head as if to clear away all the suspicion and built up her strength so that she could pull herself to her feet. One of which was bare. Quirking a brow as her toes automatically dug themselves into the warm sand, she ran her eyes along the beach, looking for any sign of the missing accessory. It didn't take her long to realize it was wedge between two large pieces of bark of the log she had previously been clinging to. Clinging to a log? How very curious.

Grumbling something incoherent even to herself, she kicked her other shoe off toward the log and waddled up the beach toward the cluster of trees. Definitely not the same trees she had been wandering through. Coconuts rested lazily at the bases of some of the tropical fauna, making her stomach rumble something fierce. Running a sandy hand over her face, she suddenly noticed something else that was missing from her ensemble. Her eye patch. Moving both hands frantically over her hair and face, she went on a search to find it among her clothing and the log that she had arrived with. Unfortunately, the leather object was no where to be seen, leaving her scarred face out for all who may wander by to see. She supposed it was a good thing the area seemed deserted so far, though it still worried her a bit.

Groaning again, she rested against the side of a tree, head leaning on her own shoulder. It couldn't be that hard to figure out what had happened…think, think, think. Grinding her teeth slowly, Ryder closed her eyes, one lid lagging behind the other, in an attempt to remember anything. She was riding, riding, riding, walking, got a splinter in her foot, walked some more. Then it started to rain, a steady stream of water creating mud under her feet that eventually caused her to fall flat on her face. She remembered sleeping underneath a tree, hidden by some low hanging branches…then she remembered men. Loud, big, stinky men. Running…there was definitely some running. More running, shouting. Then a cliff stood out in her mind. A high, dangerous cliff. She remembered looking up at Nero as she dangled from the side. At that thought, her face went blank and eyes wide.

"Holy Hell, is this Heaven?" Ryder shrieked and jerked her head from side to side, looking at the place in a whole knew light. This couldn't be heaven. It smelled like dead fish. Stumbling back down onto the beach, she plopped herself down on the log, eyes staring straight out ahead of her. No, she couldn't be dead, she knew better than that. She figured out what had happened. She fell from the cliff, miraculously got hold of a log, and drifted out to sea aimlessly until she landed on this spit of land. Though it did seem rather unlikely that she drifted THAT far from land. As far as she could tell, there was no sign of the mainland. All water. Even one mile out to sea, you could still have a good look at the coast. So, she figured she was stuck in the middle of the ocean with no one looking for her.

She was more comfortable with the being dead idea.

This wasn't like when she went off alone without Jack. There were houses here and there along her path before, travelers passing her on the road…but now…Now she was truly alone. Alone on an island that hardly took up one full mile of ocean. Alone on an island without food, clean water, or a horse…Suddenly, Ryder tipped her head back and let out a long, irritated wail toward the sky. Stomping her little feet on the sand wildly and flinging her arms about, the girl let out all of the frustration she was holding in. Before long, she was down on the sand, screaming curses to herself and throwing the gritty substance in all directions. Some of the words that passed her lips were unknown to man and could only be thought up by a sailor. Seems life at sea did have a certain affect on her.

Finally letting her flailing body rest, she dropped her arms and legs upon the beach and stared breathlessly up at the blue above. Was she going to die here? Die of starvation or thirst? Boredom? Groaning pathetically, she rolled onto her side, seemingly to roll in her self pity literally. Was anyone looking for her? Probably not. Did Jack think about her now and then. She hoped so just so he could feel some kind of pain. Did she blame this situation on him? She would like to have been able to, but no, she didn't blame him. What about herself? No, it sure as hell wasn't her fault.

"Damn you old woman! Damn you to hell!" she screamed at the sky, hoping that the elder back home could hear her. It was that old woman's fault! Getting her into this mess…Mentioning…Tilting her head down slightly, Ryder searched with little enthusiasm for the necklace that had caused her all of this trouble. Of course, there it was, looking up at her as if it were laughing. Chuckling at her constantly, knowing it had caused her all of this grief. It didn't take her long to snatch it and toss it across the sand. Oh, how she was going to love to rid herself of that thing. If she made it off this island of course.

Sitting up with an unhappy expression spread over her sunburned face she suddenly came to the uncomfortable realization that her stomach was hurting something terrible. Food hadn't been shoved into her body for God knew how long. What a fine time for hunger to kick in…right when a meal was one of the rarest things in the area. Licking her lips a few odd times, Ryder shoved herself up into a clumsy standing position long enough to spot a few wandering crabs down the shoreline. Crab. She'd never had crab before, so she sure as hell didn't know how to cook it. Though when the tough get going…

The last thing that crab remembered was a very frightening, very crazed girl lunging for it.

* * *

"Jack!"

"What?"

"We're gettin' nowhere fast!"

"What the bloody hell does that mean?"

"It means we got no idea where we're goin'!" AnaMaria shrieked from across the Black Pearl.

"I'm not lost, AnaMaria," the captain replied with a small glare.

"I didn't say ya were lost, I said yer AT a loss! You have no idea where to look! We've passed by this section of coast nearly three times now," the dark skinned woman pointed out as she climbed the steps to the helm of the great ship where Jack Sparrow stood, staring straight out into the ocean ahead.

"She couldn't have gotten very far. If she's anywhere, she's gonna be around 'ere."

"And how do ya know that she didn't move faster then ya think? How do ya know she didn't get a ride from someone else, eh?"

"One: She's as clumsy as a drunk penguin on a rockin' boat. Two: She's too stubborn ta get help from someone else now," the man answered plainly as if it were common sense. The female only shook her head and leaned on the railing lightly. Her voice remained dormant for a few moments while she thought, and as more time passed, the thicker the tension got.

"Jack…what if-"

"What if what, AnaMaria?" he cut her off quickly. They both knew what was going to be said if her sentence was allowed to carry on. 'What if they've already gotten to her?' At the moment, it was a possibility that Jack did not want to think about too seriously. He'd already dealt with the younger of the Bolomeir brothers and he wasn't sure if he was as friendly toward the idea of dealing with the elder. A spiteful man with a personal vendetta against Ryder and himself was something the Vincent was not. Victor was on the edge of a breaking point. Jack didn't want his girl to be the one to fall into that collapse.

"Never mind," she grunted.

"Alright then," Jack gave a sharp nod before taking in a long sigh. Three days had passed since they left the tavern in search of the missing girl who had an unknown number of people searching for her. A lot could happen to a young woman in three days and the captain was not letting that slip his mind, simply ignoring it for the time being. However, if there turned out to be now sign of her whatsoever in the next two or so days, Jack would be forced to accept that he may have to deal with something larger than only tracking her down. Of course, he would have to figure out where to look for her captures if it came to that. Why was it that she always had people looking for her that would sneak her off somewhere he didn't know?

"Cap'n!" a crew member screamed out suddenly, a finger jabbed out toward the shoreline. Narrowing his eyes, Sparrow tried to get a clear image of what he was suppose to be seeing, but without avail.

"AnaMaria, take the helm!" he ordered roughly before moving from his post and jogging down the steps, swiping up the cool, brass scope nearby. With all his affects rattling away as he moved at a quick pace, Jack gave the telescope a twitch, elongating it immediately. His hand was a bit shaky and the ship tilting every which way, but he eventually got a steady look at the white beach long enough to see what was being shouted about.

"The horse," the man mumbled to himself, lowering the scope. It would have been a cheerful occasion to find Nero if not for the absence of the girl…or the fact that the large animal was laying motionless on the sands like a beached whale. A down and out stallion by the choppy waters of the Caribbean and no sign of Ryder…as the moments passed by, Jacks gut twisted tighter and tighter. Tapping one long finger on the rail idly, he yelled out a rather calm order to his crew.

"Drop anchor! Send word to Gibbs!"

A few voices replied loudly as the men scattered about the deck to grant their captains wish. The call over to the Abundance was made and Jack was left in his own little world for the time being. Nero was now just a black spot on the beach without the spyglass up to his chocolate eye, but Jack didn't need to see the mammal clearly to know it was in poor condition. Three days. Even longer since he had even laid eyes on the one eyed female…Her horse looking as if it were dead on the shore…all the optimistic thoughts that Captain Sparrow had conceived earlier were slowly beginning to circle the drain.

The heavy lurch from the anchor grabbing hold of the ocean floor tossed Jack from his thoughts and back to what was happening. Time to get in the boats and row to shore. Time to go and see if ol' Nero was dead…time to see if Ryder was in the filthy hands of those men. Leaning heavily on the side of the ship, hands spread wide against the dark wood, Sparrow clicked his tongue calmly as the rickety sound of the smaller boats being lowered reached his ears. There was a bitter-sweet taste resting on his tongue. A taste that he was glad he had, and yet despised. The word to describe it was unknown to him, but he was damn sure of what it meant.

He wanted her back.

He wanted her out of this mess that he had brought upon her. Jack wanted to hear her feet thudding constantly on that barrel behind him. The amusement he felt when she would run up and whack him on the head for something he didn't do was missed, as was the sharp glares she would give him whenever he said or did something that wasn't to her liking. He was aching for all the little annoying and mean things she did to him out of pure aggravation at herself for liking his over zealous attention.

The rough, yet still smooth texture of her nearly constant chapped lips on his own rum soaked mouth was a sensation he yearned to experience again. The smell of her ocean fresh hair and feel of her salt coated skin under his hands was something he could only think about now. Her sick little teasing of walking near to his quarters at night, giving him the impression she would eventually enter, only to be disappointed time and again when she gave a loud and obnoxious 'good night' to the watchman and returned to her room. Jack always had to grunt whenever she pulled such a stunt. Her morals were not what were holding her back from slipping into his bed…it was the entertainment she got from taking a step toward it then taking two steps back.

"Ready, Cap'n?" the shortest of all the crew members asked and tapped him on the side.

"Aye," he responded with a nod and an adjustment of his hat.

* * *

_I didn't think I would ever see Jack again. What would the odds be if he found me stranded on this spot of land in the middle of nowhere, miles from where I was suppose to be? In my mind it would be some number that I couldn't even calculate. So far, the situation hasn't come around to make me think about it, though I'm hoping that it comes around soon. Yes, I'm spiteful toward Jack Sparrow, but I still wish he would serve as that knight in shining armor that all young women want to come and save them. Of course, after I ate a decent meal and slept on a comfortable bed, I would give him a firm beating to release some pent up anger I've gained from this experience._

_Well…so far you've seen me fall from a cliff, loose my patch, get a shoe stuck, and throw a tantrum on the beach. Needless to say, if I wasn't alone, I would be thoroughly embarrassed by now. Last you knew of me I was going for a crab for my dinner, correct? To add to my day of clumsiness and total self humiliation, I learned painfully that crabs had pinchers, and I had flimsy skin. So, after a good helping of cuts and bleeding, I finally had the little beast where I wanted it…dead. Then after nearly breaking my wrist, a fire was created and the shellfish was tossed into the flame. As you'll find out, I'll have to remind myself that I shouldn't make my life being a homemaker…_

* * *

"Damn crab!" Ryder shrieked and chucked another failed meal across the beach leaving the stench of burnt shellfish ripe in the air. Four crabs gone to waste in the past two hours. Three burnt to a fiery crisp and one mysteriously disappeared while she was attempting to fashion her over cloak into a crude tent. Now that the beach was littered with carcasses, Ryder had somehow lost her appetite. The scent of dead, burnt, and now luke-warm crab seemed to be the recipe for going without food for a while longer.

With the cooking gone, fire built, and tent made, the girl had lost her entertainment. Something that people fail to mention about being stranded on an island is the lack of interesting things to do. Playing in the sand sufficed for a few minutes, as did throwing rocks at the coconuts in the trees, but as she had always been told, she had the attention span of a rodent. So, Ryder was left to rest her feet up on the trunk of a palm tree and stare up at the sky from under the large leafs above. Grunting, she had the sudden thought of how Charlie would react to the sight of her bare legs. Dear Lord, she was even starting to miss the letch.

"I. Hate. THIS!" she screamed, leaving her voice echoing through the sky. Should she be worried that some hostile passing ship would hear her? No…just the excitement of being in danger would have gotten her mind off of the lack of things to do. And, as time drew on, things went from bad to worse for the girl. She was getting thirsty. She had already learned her lesson aboard the Black Pearl about drinking sea water, so that was out of the question. Coconuts were suppose to have milk inside, but milk always made her even more thirsty.

She wanted water.

Nice, cold, crisp, water. She could imagine the feel of it running down her throat and landing in the pit of her stomach. She knew it would dribble down her chin as she drank wildly. The thought of it all made Ryder lick her overly dry lips in liquid lust. Groaning, she moved her arms about in the sand as if to make a sand-angel. It was then that a rock blocked her movements and sent her skin bleeding once again. This island was hell bent on tearing her apart.

Taking the medium sized rock in her hand, she glared at it steadily as she rolled it around between her dirty fingers. It was warm from the hot sun in the sky which was slowly making its decent upon the earth. She would be in darkness soon. Night time. On an island she didn't know, with God know what lurking in the shadows. Without a horse or pirate to kill whatever would sneak up on her in the dark. A pathetic whimper slipped past her lips as she thought.

"Oh, bloody hell," she hissed at her weakness before hurling the rock away from her, over the trees, and into the dense forest that made up the inside of the land mass. The small whirring of air disappeared as it vanished beneath the greenery and out of sight. It was then that a sound was made that brought a whole new light of hope to the young woman's mind.

The splash of water.

**REEEVIEWWWWWWWW!**


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Ahem, excuse me for taking so long.**

* * *

Chapter Thirteen

"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirates life for meeeee…" the voice of a young woman echoed through masses of trees. As she bobbed up and down in the middle of the clear water and scrubbed her filthy skin and scratched at her dirty hair, Ryder hummed and shrieked out the pirate song, if only to make herself feel less alone. Did it disgust her that she would later be drinking out of her own filth? If she were in another situation it would, but at the moment it seemed to be only a minor problem which was easily ignored.

Three days ago she had discovered the water source completely by accident and had been dwelling in it nearly twenty-four hours a day under the hot, unforgiving sun. She had been able to catch a few fish, muscles, and other aquatic creatures to keep her stomach from failing and her body to die out on her. Rain had be nonexistent so she didn't have to worry about getting caught in a downpour once again and the nights had been fairly easy on her. No animals with big, sharp teeth crawled out of the jungle in the middle of the night to chew her leg off. As for the signaling for help, she had a constant fire going out on the beach letting off a fair amount of smoke. Granted it would attract friendly and unfriendly ships alike, but she never conjured up another way to get anyone's attention.

Slipping beneath the water once more, Ryder swished her hair around to rid it of any unnecessary particles of filth. Breaching the surface the girl paddled toward the shoreline slowly on her back, staring up at the clear day sky through the mess of tree limbs. Once one had grown accustom to it, this island wouldn't be bad for a retreat. Of course, being alone wasn't the most thrilling part of it. With a loved one it would probably end up to be a very romantic spot indeed. Though…Jack wasn't exactly 'romantic'. He was just…just flirtatious. If he could stand up to the romantic standards of matrimony was another subject entirely.

Finally reaching the small beach, the girl pulled her ragged dress over her body, deciding to skip the drying off portion. Walking off through the trees that had become so familiar to her, she gnawed at a sharp fingernail dismissively, her attention dissolving with every step she took. How long was she going to be stranded on this miserable spot of land? The answer eluded her constantly. Whenever the slightest gleam of white sails breached the horizon, she was always thrown a punch when she found out it was only a trick of the light. She didn't find it strange that she was a bit happy white sails were not racing toward the island. Black sails would be much more comforting…

"Damn it," she hissed with a sour wince on her countenance as an upturned root caught her toe and sent her flailing to her knees. The skin below her thighs was torn and tattered beyond immediate repair. Rocks and limbs from trees had made sure that she would never make it off the island without a few dozen scars to show off.

Sliding down onto the warmed sand once she returned to her resting spot on the beach, Ryder scooped the grains into her hand and formed a tight fist. It was nice just to lay around for a while. Not worrying about getting sea sick every once in a while was a nice change…for a time anyway. However, to much of anything is never good. Especially when it comes to solitude. The human mind just wasn't built for being alone that often.

"We're really bad eggs…" the young woman mumbled under her breath, "drink up me hearties…yo ho…"

Falling back gently, she let herself look up at the overcast sky with a bored expression. For once, rain would be nice. It would give her something to do. The fire would need to be protected, her shelter be moved…she wouldn't have to sit and roll her eyes at the stupidity of passing seagulls fighting each other for food when there was an easily caught crab right beneath them. Oh, how the smaller things in life tended to stick out when one was bored.

Crunch.

"Cruuuunch…" she droned, completely oblivious to what she was imitating.

Snap, mumble, whisper.

"Charlie, stop sneaking around my room," her voice flowed from her mouth, meeting the same madness that Jack Sparrow must have been faced with at some point in time. It was definitely not Charlie sneaking around her 'room'.

Chuckle, snap, grunt.

"Don't make me call Jack," she mumbled again, raising her hand up and tracing a few designs in the sapphire sky. Was she going crazy? Not yet, but these spells she went through told that she was quickly going in that direction.

Giggle, giggle, snort.

"Jack will give you wants comin' to ya…"

"I'm sure he will, lass."

The deep, rough voice brought the young woman from her careless bantering and she shot up from the warm sun instantly to see a small group of men shuffling toward her. Like a child seeing an unexplained shadow in her bedroom, Ryder stared at them with a confused expression, mind never reminding her that the scarring on her face was exposed. Obviously, it just didn't see it as necessary.

The next thing the birds resting in the treetops knew, Ryder was sprinting through the flora and fauna, holding her dress up away from the twigs and limbs of trees that threatened to pull her to the ground. Behind her, the gathering of men stumbled over various objects as they chased after her, swords, pistols, and clubs brandished in tight fists. The girl was fast, but it was a relatively small island, she wouldn't be able to run forever.

"Where the hell…did they come from?" Ryder panted to herself as she escaped the malicious mob. Her little feet were somehow able to avoid all of the hazardous objects that the path was lined with, making her run even more successful. Though…she did not know where to go. She never found any caves around the island, no holes, crevasses, nothing. So what was a seventeen year old girl to do in this situation? In all honesty, she should have been use to things like this. Getting chased, kidnapped, and cornered were things that she was all too familiar with. Then again, she had always had Jack to come to her rescue all those times before. Now she was completely alone.

"You're just makin' this more difficult, love!" one of the men screamed. Instantaneously she was thrown into anger and scooped up a palm sized rock from the forest floor and sent it skittering through the air towards the offending male.

"Never call me love!"

One idiot down, an unknown number to go.

-------------------------------------------

Ryders legs were beginning to cramp up. She had been crammed into the small space inside the large tree for a few good hours, watching the moronic men wander by time and time again. A few bone chilling moments she thought she had been found, but the suspicious man ended up giving his backside a good scratch and moving on. A bird or two had found its way into her hideout, only to be met with an angry young woman armed with a sharpened stick. The tree creaked and groaned once in a while giving her the impression that it would collapse at any moment. And she desperately needed to relieve herself.

Every so often she would bet bold and drop one of many of the collected rocks she had brought up with her down upon an unsuspecting man, bringing him down to the ground in a lump. Eventually a crew mate would find him and order another to carry him off to the ship. This occurred approximately three times before Ryders mind kicked her fiercely and brought around some common sense. It was simply luck that the group of men to find their downed partner had been different each time, but if an unconscious murder type were to be found down in the same spot twice…well, she would be hitting herself after being forced into their ships brig.

"You hear somethin'?" a voice rang from below.

"Dunno."

"Sure did."

"Nope," some of the others announced making Ryder roll her eyes…one of course lagging a bit.

"I know I heard…" the seeming leader leaned against her tree and peaked around it. Again, the frightening creaks were noticed and the girls teeth clenched in unison with her eyes. Bits of bark slid down the hollow and to the ground, instantly making the man below move away from the tree.

"Unsteady thing," he mumbled before grinning and lifting his leg to give the poor thing a large kick. Ryder grabbed at the insides of the trunk desperately as she was swayed backwards from the force. The other men cackled in delight at the new found game. Oh how easily men were entertained.

Another kick was let loose against the temporary hideout. The leafs shook and scattered into the wind as the assault continued. The tree tilted further and further with every hit, leaving the young lady inside to bite her lip in concern. This was not good. There was no way she could turn this around in her favor. The opportunity to escape to another hollow tree had long passed, and her safe haven was now a prison that would only end up hurting her…a lot.

Ryder wasn't good at figuring many problems out, but she did know that this fall would cause her significant damage. Being a good ten feet in the air to begin with would give her a good bruise or two, but now she was falling back onto the splintering bark and limbs and she was given no room to situate herself in a more…healthy position.

The tree began to buckle. It slowly bent down, the trunk splitting in a few choice places, allowing the helpless girl to peak out at the ground below that she would soon be meeting. It was rocky, jagged, and sharp.

Another hit and she let out a frightened screech.

"Well, well, sounds like we found ourselves a little sparrow," one of the men barked out with a laugh before slamming himself into the tree.

"Boss will be happy with this," another one chuckled.

Inside the trunk, Ryder let a few tears pass her eyes and stream down her cheeks. She didn't want to hurt this much. She didn't want to go unconscious and then wake up to find herself with broken bones and a few murderous men gathered around her. So, taking in a deep breath for a last strain of fight, she gripped another rock in her small hand and thrust it down at the men, making a good hit on the temple of one of them. Both happy with her success and bothered by the fact that she most likely just killed a man, Ryder let out a heavy sob before tossing another stone, making her mark once more on a forehead. Two were down and the last man was staring down the site of his pistol, prepared. How humiliating it would be to meet his end by a rock throwing girl.

"Darling? Still there?"

"Quiet!" she yelled.

"Now, now poppet…surely we can find a way out of this."

"Shut up!" again she hissed out, only to be followed by the groan of the collapsing tree around her. Her anger was pushed aside by fear again for a moment and she squealed.

"Now ya see where all this runin' has gotten us? You stuck in a tree and me with two dead crew mates…we're not actin' very civilized are we?"

"No!"

"I do apologize for all of this little missy, but orders are orders. Now, how about I help you out of that there tree and you come along back to the ship. And don't you worry your little head about this, eh…" she could hear him shuffle around his fallen mates, "accident. I wouldn't be lettin' any harm come to ya."

She could sense the lie floating through his words.

'Any harm my ass,' she thought bitterly and clutched her sharpened stick to her chest.

"What to do, what to do…" she whispered as a new batch of irritated tears fled her eyes, "What would Jack do? What would Gibbs do? What would Ana-Maria…"

"Did you say Ana-Maria?" the man suddenly spat out, obviously eavesdropping on her private conversation with herself.

"What of it?" Ryder lashed out.

"Ana-Maria…" he breathed, "Dark, loud, arrogant?"

"Y-You know her?"

"Ana-Maria…her voice is like the sound the light from heaven would make if human ears were able to listen. Her face, like the beauty only the sea can offer. Her body, like the-"

"Good Lord, enough!" she shrieked and lightly threw a rock in his direction.

"Girl, do you truly know the splendor which is the Ana-Maria? Where? Where is she?"

"Yeah, I know 'er. I'm not tellin' you where she is though," her words flew as did another rock.

"Blast it all, stop throwin' them things!"

"Then stop chasin' me!"

"I told ya, orders is orders!"

"Ana-Maria doesn't follow all orders!" Ryder teased before the tree slipped further down.

"It is true…Ana-Maria is a graceful horse awaiting for the man to tame her."

The girl in the tree sighed. One second a criminal, the next a poet.

"Girl, girl! I have a deal for you, girl!"

"Stop calling me girl…man!"

And thus, a quick deal was made. The man, who came to be known as Franklin, would turn the search crew away from the island if Ryder would put in a good word and deliver a note to his 'beloved' Ana-Maria. Of course, she wasn't exactly sure if they were talking about the same woman at the time, but if it got her out of trouble for the moment, she could deal with it.

Franklin would take a small article of clothing from Ryder, drop it on the shore and hide one of the long boats, so it would seem the girl had flown the coop. If one stepped back and looked at his plan, it was unstable and unlikely, but these men on the island weren't the sharpest swords on the sea. If it worked, Ryder would be left on the island for another few days until another ship commissioned by Bolomier came upon it and she went through the whole process again. Except she highly doubted there would be another man infatuated with Ana-Maria like Franklin.

After the discussion and a few charming sentences from the man, Ryder was helped out of the rotting tree, hands were shaken, a quick letter written, and the two separated onto separate parts of the island.

Now all the girl had to do was to wait and see if the honor code held firm.

* * *

_That was yesterday. So, unless the strange crew chose to stay on the other side of the island, Franklin kept to his word and his plan worked. I suppose those pirates were as stupid as I thought after all. I kept to my word as well. I still have the letter he jotted down on a small piece of parchment and if I can continue holding my curiosity down, I will have completed my promise of not reading it. Though I'm pretty sure I know what to expect. Words of love, beauty…so on and so forth. It was all fairly overrated in my mind, but then again I could be feeling a tad bit of bitterness since Sparrow wasn't as head-over-heels in love with me. No…all I could manage to squeeze out of him were a few hugs, kisses, and a betrayal here and there._

_Though I still want him back._

_Rather pitiful isn't it? That man has jerked me back and forth through emotional grounds ever since the day I stumbled across him on that beach, and yet I still feel the need to drag my sorry ass back to him. I'm sure some other women, well bred or not, would agree that it was an unhealthy relationship. But I…_

_Wait…what…is that a parrot?_

* * *

"One week and countin', Cap'n," Ana-Maria sighed out from behind Jack Sparrow as he tapped his long fingers along the wheel of the Black Pearl. 

"Seven days."

"Yes, that equals a week," the woman snorted with a smart smile. He only grumbled something incoherent.

He was getting irritated. Not only irritated, angry. Sleep wasn't something which was abundant to him at the moment, food was short, there was no sign of the girl, and his rum supply was beginning to run short. He had even been forced to call over to Gibbs for a few extra pints until they were able to stop next. Which would, of course, be when Ryder was back on that barrel on the deck. Was he concerned that the men would form a mutiny if he continued with this? Yes, but he wasn't going to concern himself with it at the moment.

Mentioning, Cotton was having a difficult time of controlling his trusty bird as he rested against the mast. The thing squawked, bit, clawed, and flapped its wings furiously as the tongue-less man tried to sooth it with small pets and the mouthing of kind words.

"Bloody bird," Jack hissed as a sharp cackle emitted from its throat, "Calm that thing down, Cotton."

This time, not even the bird replied to his Captain. Instead, its wings gave another flap and it took off from the pirates shoulder and onto the breezes near the waters. Cotton gave a wordless sound and took off towards the edge of the ship, looking out after his connection to spoken word. A few other crew mates followed suite and watched as the tropical bird took off over the small waves, further and further from the boat.

"Damn it all to bloody hell," the captain cursed and ran a hand over his eyes. This was absolutely perfect. A wonderful ending to his wonderful life. After all, he was sure this was all going to kill him in the end.

"Island off the port side, Cap'n!" a crew member hollered out strongly, snapping Sparrows head back up. Kohl lined eyes squinted and strained to see what was being pointed out, but he didn't have to try too hard to see. A little spot of land, no larger then a few kilometers wide and long. Trees took up most of the space, though there was a sliver of white running along its edge, signifying a beach.

From behind the Pearl, Jack could hear the men aboard the Abundance rallying along the edge of the ship to look out onto the island, which strangely seemed to be attracting Cottons parrot. The mute man only pointed and made a few sounds in response to this. Leaving his post at the helm, the captain accompanied by Ana-Maria moved down onto the deck with the rest of the crew. Brilliant, now they would be forced to go and find the trained parrot, or else have an even harder time at guessing what Cotton was thinking.

"Jack!" Gibbs voice fell upon the Black Pearl.

"Yeah, bring 'er on in, Gibbs. We'll need ta go after the-"

"Take a peek in yer spy glass, sir!" the heavier man interrupted making Jack sway slightly before scooping up the metal object from his jacket. What in Gods name was happening now?

-------------------------------

"I need a bed…" Ryder sang out in a light voice as she lay belly down on the warm sand of her island.

Days alone gave her the opportunity to think about all that she had been forced through. Nearly drowned several times, kidnapped, nearly raped, drunk, mud soaked, heartbroken, punched…the list went on. In her hand rested the ugly necklace, its surfaced heated buy the sun, making her hand let off some perspiration. Good Lord, her life was ending up to be a mess. Endinea would be shaking her head at her right now if she knew of this situation. The old man would be laughing at her before hacking up a storm from all of the tobacco in his system. Would she ever see those two again? How long had it been? How many months had it been since she last slept in that cramped room and had waken up to the smell of Endineas cooking? Too many…but did she really 'miss' that place? In a way…though she felt that she would miss the life at-

"What the hell!" the girl suddenly screeched as something landed roughly on her back with something sharp digging into her delicate flesh. Fear instantly rushed through her body and she swung an arm up and over herself, hoping to knock away whatever it was. Her mind kept telling her that it was likely to be the body of an unwanted pirate.

"A parrot?"

Yes, instead of the stinky, sweating man she expected to come in contact with, Ryder saw a large bird plop down on the sand next to her. It made various sounds toward her before it hopped across the beach and picked at one of the many crab carcasses in interest. Forcing herself up into a sitting position, the young woman stared at the creature like it was something that had just crawled up out of the sand. This island was devoid of any life. If there had been parrots she would have found and eaten one by now.

"Well, I suppose it's not too early for some supper…" she grinned and began to crawl forward until…

"Wind in the sails!"

"Huh?"

"Wind in the sails?"

"You're not-"

"Cap'n Canary!"

"Bloody 'ell, I taught you that one! It is you, isn't it parrot!" Ryder cried out in happiness and threw her bare arms out to the sides as if to embrace the bird. It only squawked once more and took to the sky. She was planning on giving some kind of protest, but something caught the corner of her eye. It was big, black, and billowy.

"JACK!"

----------------------------

Ryder was up to her shins in water, arms loose at her sides as she watched the long boats move in toward the island from the Black Pearl and Abundance. Her stringy hair was in her eyes, but she didn't care. Her eye was exposed for all to see, but she didn't care. She was showing far too much skin for even her enjoyment, but she didn't care. She was being rescued, and that's all she DID care about for the time being. Three boats of dirty, hairy, drunk men were finally coming to her rescue. And she couldn't stop giggling.

As the boats got closer, the faces came into view. Gibbs with his grubby skin, Cotton with his reunited parrot, Ana-Maria with that amused smirk of hers, and then…then, there was Jack.

He was perched on the bow of the small boat, hands gripping onto the sides roughly. His hat was pulled down tight over his head which was tipped up at a slight angle, just enough so she could catch the puzzling expression on his lovely face. His messed locks were tangled wildly around the beads shifting in the slight breeze, giving his unkempt look an even more jagged edge. His jacket was draped over his body loosely giving the impression that it hadn't been removed in many days. It was a sight Ryders mind wouldn't let go of for a time. And when the boat came within the shallows and the captain prematurely jumped to the water and shifted through the surf, the smile slowly faded from the girls burned face as she found a more serious emotion to show.

Behind him, the boats moved on to beach upon the sand, but Jack Sparrow stayed thigh high in ocean not ten yards away from the young woman that had been lost to him for what seemed so long. The sheer garment she wore was torn and tattered in so many places, leaving her arms and legs bare for the seeing, but his normally lusty mind was dissolved for the moment, and her skimpy form didn't bring much from him. Instead, the defeated captain removed his tri-cornered hat and held it to his chest. If he was awaiting forgiveness or damnation was unknown, but the countenance he was holding gave the impression that he was fully willing to accept either.

"I-" Ryder broke the silence with the hesitant sound. What was she to say? What words would come? For days she had thought of the curses she would give Jack Sparrow when she saw him next, but now that he was in front of her, the fury dissipated and she was only left stranded with a weak and pathetic emotion that wouldn't hold up for long.

Her sprint toward Captain Jack Sparrow was slow, but somehow void of any clumsy action. Water shot up when her legs moved and waterlogged her beyond any level of propriety. However, staying dry was not her motive that day and she flung herself upon the Sparrow with clutching arms.

The treasured hat was lost in the water and sent drifting toward the shore as the pirates equally eager appendages wrapped around the small woman steadily, his hands gripping the cloth of her covering.

There was only silence for a few moments.

"You're in one piece," he sighed out.

"You're sober," she breathed.

* * *

**Hmm…don't worry, it's not the ending of the story, though I could have been lazy and made it that way. No, no, no…it's far from over. Now, you know what to do. REVIIIEEEEEW!**


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

"I'm not sure I've ever seen anything quite like it."

"I know…it's…strange…horrific even."

"I don't know whether to look away or keep starin'."

"How long do you think this can go on?"

"I don't know. She has to come up to breath some time…"

While the shocked conversation commenced the object of attention continued to plow face first into whatever food was laid out in front of her. Fingers quickly maneuvered the food around her mouth and teeth made quick work of everything from meat, bread, fruit, and anything in between. Bits of food were lost on the sand below and in the large cuffs of the coat she now adorned, but the young woman made no attempt to remove them. Every few odd minutes she would drop the foodstuffs and turn to the mug, which was being continuously filled to the brim with fresh water to send the clumps in her throat down into the depths of her still grumbling stomach. It seemed that this beast was insatiable.

"Quite an appetite she's got now," Captain Jack Sparrow gurgled from beside his lass before drowning the last of his short rum supply and throwing a limp arm over Ryder's tensed shoulders. The crewmembers only nodded slightly and watched on as the food continued to disappear. The girl mumbled something in response, as she wiped away some of the excess on the borrowed sleeve of Jacks garment, but the quip was muffled by the lump of bread shoved into her open mouth.

The idea to remain on the island for the night did not set well with Ryder for the first few minutes, which was filled with a strange mixture of kisses and petty arguments between the captain and her. Sand and trees were growing old by the minute and she was quickly turning over into a stubborn mood as the crew began to gather wood for the fire after the word from Jack Sparrow. However, all was well once a trunk of food was hauled onto shore with the last longboat. She hadn't said a word since.

Hours passed and the young woman, leaving her belly up on the warm sand, staring up at the slowly darkening sky as her body struggled to digest the massive amounts she had shoveled down, obliterated the food into nothing but various crumbs and bits. Even with the thick layer of the pirate captain's coat covering her torso, she could already tell there would be an amount of weight gain from her feast. But, it was nothing she couldn't work off. Besides…it was worth every gram.

"Ya look like a beached whale, love," a familiar voice rang in her ears as Jack left the small ring around the fire to join her off to the side as she regained control.

"You have no idea," she stopped for a moment and took in a deep breath, "No idea how much I missed those little insults of yours, Cap'n."

Sparrow gave a small chuckle before collapsing on the ground beside her, his hands rarely free of any rum bottles. Running his long fingers over the small dunes of sand, the man glanced up at her for a few moments. "I know what you mean."

There was a stiff silence for a few strange moments afterward. Ryder only lay quietly and absentmindedly counted the stars as they all began to appear overhead, her small hands gripping at the rough material of Jacks coat around her. Her mind went over several thoughts. From how much she had ate, to the letter still up by her little fort from Franklin, to the fact that she hadn't seen her eye patch in days and was walking around exposed to the crew, and all the way to the realization that none of them had grimaced toward the ugly scar.

Jack glared down at the grains of said beneath his palms and clenched his teeth uncomfortably. His mind was clear…too clear. He couldn't remember the last time he had been this sober. In fact, it took him a few days to realize that he was, in fact, sober. A few sips of alcohol here and there did nothing for him, and he was constantly kept in an equal state of mind, able to make sense of all the things he hadn't before. It was strange…nearly disturbing. This girl had driven him to soberness.

Said girl sat up slowly from her resting point and wrapped the heavy garment further around her, bringing another sound of amusement from the captain. She looked terribly small in the thing.

"I hated you for a while," Ryder suddenly spoke up, her voice soft yet strong at the same time. "I spent hours…sometimes the whole day, just thinking about what I would say to you if I ever saw you again. I thought up curses I didn't even think I knew."

She glanced up from her lap to look at the man beside her, who was simply staring past her and towards the forest behind.

"I didn't think I could hate anyone as much as I did you for a few of those seconds…" she rubbed a hand up and down her arm, "I didn't like it. Made me feel even more alone than I already was. I didn't-"

"I'm not a good man," Jack cut in, his voice deep and bitter with self-truth that brought the young woman's head up straight. A few seconds passed before he continued, never allowing his eyes to wonder back towards the girl. "In the end my actions are always justified…they always get buried under the 'good deeds' I did afterward. But…one good deed don't make up for a lifetime of wickedness," the hissed out, his memory reaching back to what a commodore had said to him a few years back. "Tis the way of a pirate, eh love?"

"Jack…you're…I don't-"

"I'm selfish. I did what I _thought_ was right and not what I _knew_ was right," he stopped and tilted his head back slightly so his chocolate eyes were able to observe the dusk sky that Ryder was studying a few minutes beforehand. As he continued, Sparrow rolled his eyes back down toward the young woman with a weary smile on his face. "This ain't something' a man can make up to his lass with flowers and trinkets, is it?"

A pause.

"No…no it's not," Ryder answered with a small jerk of her head to the side and again let the silence come over them both. They were both sure the others were aware of the tension filled discussion going on a few meters away, but they kept a good job of ignoring it.

"You're not a good man," she finally said, "You're not, Jack. I knew you weren't the first day I saw you. But," she stuttered when the pirate slowly nodded his head in agreement. "You're not a bad man either."

"Darling, we both know that-"

"No," she interrupted just as he had so many times, "You're not a good man, you're not a bad man…is it so terrible to be in the middle? Why can't you bounce back and forth from one to the other every now and then?"

"You're jus' pullin' for excuses now."

"No, Jack," she grumbled, reaching out for the right words to speak her thoughts, "You're a pirate, you're not suppose to be a good man…but you don't have to be a bad one either. I just…just expected a little too much I guess."

"You shouldn't have to lower your expectations, love."

Ryder only glared at him from across the small space that parted them as her mind processed the tone in his voice. It confused her. This conversation was slowly leading up to another fight between the newly reunited couple and his words led her to believe its end wouldn't be the one she wanted. Did he want her to leave after she got off this island? Did he want her gone? Just the thought of it made her shake her head roughly and grimace in disgust. It wouldn't make sense at all. Save her, and then push her away once more?

"Jack…" she drew out silently giving him a cautious look as her mind prepared for what was to come.

"I think you need to-"

"No, no, no, no!" the young woman shrieked immediately before shooting to her feet. To her right, the crew tensed from the sound of yelling behind them and slowly began to shuffle further away. "Don't tell me anything!"

"There are proper ships that can take ya the rest-"

"Shut up!"

"They can keep ya safe better than we can, love."

"Too bad, I don't care," with that said, she stomped off in the opposite direction where her makeshift home of sticks and clothing sat. Behind her, she could hear Jack clambering up and following her closely. It was amusing to see the tiny female move about in his large coat, constantly pulling up the sleeves with an irritated grunt.

"You should," he spat.

"You know what I think, Jack?"

"No, what do you think, Ryder?"

"I think they need to jus' bloomin' lay together and get it done with," a crew member whispered from the sidelines, quickly receiving a firm slap from Ana Maria who then herded the other men away from the growing battle ground.

"I think you need to let me choose what I want to do!"

"Really?" the captain sneered crossing his lanky arms over his chest.

"Yeah…I mean…" she paused and took in a deep breath, only to release it in a huff, "I'm not a picture of goodness either."

Jack only gave a face that told he was becoming highly irritated at her attempt at rationalities or he was about to laugh in her face. That, of course, made the woman angrier.

"If someone gave me the chance, Jack Sparrow, just a chance to hitch a ride to Port Royal with someone else…the Navy perhaps…I would've turned you in so you could rot in a cell. Just a word from some officer or commodore and I would have handed you over in a flash, Jack!"

Sparrow tilted his head back slowly as she spoke before he allowed himself words.

"Bloody liar."

"Am I!"

It only took her exaggeration on those two words to bring Captain Jack Sparrow tumbling into realization. She wasn't bloody lying. Her little face was beet red with truth and her fists were balled up tightly beneath the cuffs of his jacket. Her mouth was clasped shut fiercely and her eyes, both seeing and not, sent a harsh truth slamming into Jack.

She would've done it.

"You know what else?" she continued, her rage not quite done yet. Turning from the man, she disappeared under her tiny tent for a moment only to return with a small baggy. Its rough brow exterior was immediately recognized as the same bag he had attempted to take during their first meeting. Its presence matched the situation perfectly. That was the beginning, and judging by the way things were going, this could be the end.

"Bringin' up old arguments, are ya?" Jack mumbled with a titled eyebrow.

"No," she hissed before plucking something from the back and tossing it roughly at his chest. He was taken aback by the small show of violence, but soon recovered and snatched the object from the ground. It was a ring. A simple gem incrusted ring that appeared to have seen it's better days, though it would still fetch a healthy price at any market.

"And here," another worn piece of finger jewelry was tossed at him, "Bet you didn't even notice they were gone did you? I was gonna trade them in for some money when I came across a town, but as you can see, there's not many merchants 'ere."

"Notice?" Sparrow puzzled for a few seconds before returning his concentration on the two items in his hand. They were nothing out of the ordinary, just simple little trinkets that could be found aboard any pirate vessel.

Pirate…vessel…

Slowly turning over his other hand, Jack examined the long, dirtied fingers carefully. Everything was in order, except for the strange lack of two metallic objects that were generally found wrapped around two fingers. Now there was only pale, un-tanned skin showing through. His brown eyes moved from his fingers to the rings, rings to the fingers, then back again. A few feet away, Ryder placed her hands on her hips and waited for some sort of reaction from the captain, who was taking his time in figuring the situation out.

"You-" he started.

"Yes."

"How did you-"

"Not sure, but I did."

A lengthy pause.

"You were able to lift jewelry…right from a pirates hand?"

"You need to learn to not get so distracted, mate," again she pulled something from the sack and let it fall to the ground. A bracelet. Then an earring was pulled out, then a small red pendent.

"Where did you…"

"A man on Bolomeirs crew, Charlie, and a bloody whore in some tavern you dragged me into," Ryder explained and pointed to each idem in order. Afterwards the two were silent, Jack still trying to figure out when and where the girl could have taken the rings, and Ryder preparing another outburst if he were to go into another speech about how she should leave him.

"You're a thief?" the man questioned with a small twitch of a smile. She only jerked her eyes up toward him and shifted on her feet.

"No…no. Jus'…sometimes I like to have what…ya know…I like," she licked her lips anxiously and brought a harsh tone to her voice, "Except for that second ring. I took that out of spite."

"You're a thief," Jack stated plainly, finally allowing a gold-toothed smile to spread mercilessly over his face. Rolling the rings around in his palm and slipping them back into place on his fingers and approached the young woman, his face beaming with some odd sort of pride. "You're a damned little pickpocket, love."

"Maybe a little," she murmured and grinned with a soft shrug of her shoulder.

"Jus' a little," he whispered throatily and stepped over the fallen jewelry to move his hands up to smooth over the sides of Ryders face and into the tangled, greasy locks of hair that any other man would scoff at. It was strange how something that could break apart any other 'relationship', if it could rightfully be called that, did the exact opposite for them. It was strange, and yet comforting.

The thoughts of Ryder going away seemed to seep away as the inches disappeared between them. She climbed up carefully on the thick ends of Jacks boots to give her a little more height, though was still forced to raise up on the balls of her feet. The array of kisses ranged from light to rough as soon as their lips touched. Jacks beaded hair tapped the side of Ryder's face every now and again and the buttons on the wrists of the jacket she still wore dragged along his skin when she moved, but they paid no attention to such things.

"Jack," Ryder spoke hoarsely and difficultly from the attention the good captain was giving to her bottom lip.

"Ryder," he replied absentmindedly.

"Jack…where's my horse?"

* * *

"I swear, I don't know how he's going to survive the rest of this, Jack," Ryder said as the two stood below deck where they had been only a few weeks ago when the first encounter with the Bolomeir family left Nero injured in the bowels of the Black Pearl. This time, however, the large stallion was only able to stand for short amounts of time, mainly only lying heavily on the leaking floor. His already pained leg was again out of commission, though the rest of his appendages weren't up to the task of holding up the near two thousand pound animal by themselves. Cuts marred his flanks and belly, the fresh meat standing out terribly against his midnight pelt, even though some friendly member of the crew had cleaned up the majority of the damage.

"We thought he was dead," Jack rolled out and leaned against the doorframe, "He got lucky."

"Yeah," she bent down and patted the horse lovingly on the cheek, "Old thing."

A pregnant pause.

"Do you know who the men were that came for you, darling?"

"I'm assuming someone who knows that fella with the ships," she guessed correctly while going over the wounds on the animal in front of her.

"He's Vincent's kin, it would seem." Ryder instantly stiffened by the name. There was only one Vincent she was familiar with, and frankly she didn't want anything more to do with anyone connected with the man. "Name's Victor."

"After the amulet I'm assumin'?"

"I suppose it serves as a material goal, but I believe, love, that his intent is on blood rather than treasure."

"Blood?" she paled instantly.

"Revenge is a powerful motivator."

"Course it is," Ryder brushed past the captain and toward the staircase up toward the deck that held memories, both good and bad, for the two.

It was good to set foot on the Pearl again. Its stableness was a relief from being on the loose, grainy sand of the beach for so long. Though the bustle of the other crewmembers was absent, Jack and her returning alone briefly to the ship, the creaks and groans of it were enough to make it feel like home. The pops that came from the steps when she climbed up them reminded her of the times when she would be forced to turn around and face Jack and whatever was happening between them at the time. Be it her return from murderous captors, or his traitorous manners.

Luckily, at the moment, she didn't feel the need to deal with either circumstance and instead retreated in the direction of her small cabin, leaving a quiet Sparrow down in the hold. She wasn't angry with him, he knew, she was tired. Tired of it all. Though the idea of dumping her in some well-to-do town with money to buy safe passage to Port Royal was abolished after the 'conversation' on the beach beforehand, Jack still wasn't thrilled with the idea of having to drag her through the wrath of another Bolomeir.

A few minutes of standing in silence, Captain Jack followed the path of the young woman and moved up onto the barren deck, no sign of the slightly disgruntled Ryder to be found. Forgetting the fact that she still had his coat, he sauntered over the open space toward the Captains Quarters. She obviously wasn't returning to the island, judging by the quickly closing of her door. Glancing back toward the beach, lit up by the fire that had been created a few hours earlier, the pirate pondered the idea of returning to shore to have a few refreshing beverages with his crew. However, the thought of waking up in the morning to a headache and a screeching Ryder, upset at him for leaving her abandoned on the Black Pearl through the night, was not something he felt like living through.

So, leaving the sight of the glowing island, he flicked the handle on his door and pushed through before bringing it shut with a lazy boot. A half-dead horse, a depressed and/or irritated girl, and a slowly tiring captain. What a lively group they were.

* * *

The patters of feet echoed over the Black Pearl through the darkness of the Caribbean night. The light, which had radiated from the fire yards away, was long since extinguished and the sounds of voices that once covered the sand and water quieted down to soft snores. The ship rolled in the gentle waves that pushed against its sides, giving the ones resting inside the sense of being in a comforting cradle. The rocking sound gave the perfect coverage to the creeper dashing across the thick boards of the deck and toward the strong door on the far end. A hand reached out and gripped onto the chilled handle, slowly unlatching it and gaining entry into to the pitch room. Feet carried the intruder onto the throw rug that lined the nice floor as the door fell shut behind them with a small thud.

Across the room, the man resting in the bed threw a hand out across the mattress restlessly, causing the being to cease movement for a time until the sleeper fell back into a steady state of dreaming. The moment his breath returned to normal, the supposed trespasser began their movement across the room once more, avoiding any tables or chairs that may bar the way. Articles of clothing splayed over the floor messily, causing larger steps to be taken. The pirate's boots were clumped together next to the bed, surely to do nothing but trip up their owner when the morning came.

"Messy bastard," the prowler spoke and kicked the footwear away from the bed, knowing full well the sound of them clattering against the wall may wake the man. No bother, they were close enough, stealth didn't matter much now. A hand reached into the pocket of the garment the intruder wore and pulled out something hard and metallic. It was moved up and over the slumbering pirate until it rested just above his forehead. Why the constant bandanna was worn during sleep as well was baffling, but it wasn't the problem at hand. The sharp edge of the object was touched carefully by the snoopers thump before it was dangled over the captain for a few seconds. A snort echoed through the cabin, evidently a sign of deep sleep from Jack Sparrow.

"Time to wakey, wakey, dear Captain," the guest of the room chuckled before the object held in the hand was dropped and thudded on the sleeping mans forehead, instantly bringing him from his slumber.

"Hell's goin'…" he mumbled with sleep still rough in his voice. The invader only slapped the object down on his face again with a snort of their own. As soon as they were sure the Sparrow was fully awake, the trinket was dropped on the bed with a chuckle of delight.

"Gettin' hit with that thing always brings you 'round, don't it?"

Before Jack Sparrow could utter a word of reply, another object was tossed on the bed lightly. In the darkness, the pirate gripped around for it, fearing it would be something of ill intent. However, his nimble fingers only found the dirtied fabric of a coat. His coat. Further inspection allowed him to realize the object he had been so rudely awoken with was none other than that accursed necklace that had turned his life upside down and all around. He sat with the pendant in his hand, eyes turned and searching for some hint of a figure in the shadows of his room.

Suddenly, the blankets, which covered the vacant side of his bed, were tossed aside. The mattress caved in slightly as another weight crawled upon it and made it's way closer to Jack. Another hand searched along the sheets for his own and brought up to touch upon bare skin. His fingers fanned out slowly to blindly study the exposed flesh that was offered to him. As his palm moved, the curve of the body was apparent. It was cool, yet held a slight sticky nature from the humidity of the area.

Jacks eyes slowly began to adjust to the dim lighting and was finally able to make up the details of the body and face that was before him. She was small, but could hardly be mistaken for a child no matter what angle you looked at her at this state. His hand easily covered a large amount of her bare hip, while the other quickly did away with the necklace and garment by tossing them aimlessly as far away from the bed as he could manage. In unison with his toss, her hand reached out and snatched away the red piece of cloth that covered his head, flipping it over her shoulder lamely, causing the captains hair to splay forward.

"Let your hair down for a while, Captain," Ryder whispered before yanking the blankets up and over their two bodies. He wasn't sure what had slithered its way inside his lass to bring this mood upon her, but he only had two words in small response before he allowed whatever it was to take him over as well.

"Blasted girl…"

* * *

**Cat call Whoooooa! Finally made it happen. I suppose I owe it to everyone for making you wait for so damn long. My apologies. But, please, don't forget to REVIEW!**


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